The Clerk of Parliament: For the record, I have to inform hon Members that on 12 December 2012, Mr Michael Palmer resigned from his seat in Parliament for the electoral division of Punggol East. Hon Members were notified of the resignation of Mr Michael Palmer by me on the same day.
In accordance with Article 46(2) of the Constitution, the seat of Mr Michael Palmer as Member became vacant on 12 December 2012. In accordance with Article 40(4)(b), the office of the Speaker became vacant on the same day. Hon Members shall now elect a person to fill that office.
[(proc text) At 1.30 pm, the Serjeant-at-Arms laid the Mace below the Table. (proc text)]
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Moulmein-Kallang) stood up, and addressing herself to the Clerk of Parliament said: Clerk of Parliament, I propose that Mdm Halimah Yacob do take the Chair of this Parliament as Speaker.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Clerk of Parliament, I support the proposal.
[(proc text) There being only one proposal, the Clerk then declared Mdm Halimah Yacob to have been duly elected as Speaker of this Parliament. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Mdm Speaker went to the Chair and sat down. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Then the Mace (which before laid below the Table) was placed on the Table. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Election of Speaker","subTitle":"Tribute","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Leader of the House (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mdm Speaker, this House congratulates you on your election as the ninth Speaker of Parliament. I utter those words \"Mdm Speaker\" for the first time in this House. All of us are, of course, delighted that a lady now sits in that Chair.
Madam, you are well suited to preside over this House. Elected as a Member of Parliament in 2001, you quickly gained a formidable reputation as an active and ardent backbencher and NTUC union leader. In that role, you championed the rights and well-being of our workers, especially against their unfair treatment, low wages and discriminatory practices. Your passion extended to alleviating hardships faced by women, families and children. You pushed fervently for more help to salvage broken families and, particularly, so that their children could climb out of the poverty trap.
It seemed, therefore, a natural fit when the Prime Minister appointed you as a Minister of State for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in 2011, now the Ministry of Social and Family Development. This House may have then lost an effective backbencher but Singaporeans gained when you, as an office holder, continued to roll out policies that helped our elderly, the poor and needy, as well as strengthened social services for children and families.
While we will now miss your contributions in Government, your deep experience in both the back and front benches, together with your legal training, equip you admirably to be an effective Speaker. This House is, therefore, fully confident that you will preside over its proceedings with impartiality and maintain the high standards of this Parliament. In turn, all Members pledge that we will conduct ourselves with dignity and decorum always, even in heated debate.
Madam, while your election as Speaker is a propitious event, it has been precipitated by regrettable circumstances when your immediate predecessor, Mr Michael Palmer, resigned as a Member of Parliament and, therefore, under our Constitution, ceased to be the Speaker. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Palmer explained that he resigned to \"take full responsibility for a grave mistake that he had committed\" as he had had an improper relationship with a
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grassroots staff. Mr Palmer apologised deeply for his actions.
Madam, I am sure that all Members of this House are disappointed and saddened by the events that led to Mr Palmer's resignation. As Mr Palmer himself acknowledged in his statement, he resigned as a Member in order to avoid further embarrassment to Parliament. The Prime Minister had replied to him that \"MPs must uphold the highest standards of personal conduct\". As elected representatives of our people, we are all public figures, and must uphold standards of propriety that can match up to the moral and ethical norms and expectations of our society.
Nevertheless, I think this House would also agree with the Prime Minister in his assessment that, as Speaker from October 2011 to December 2012, Mr Palmer had \"presided over proceedings in the House with dignity and a sure touch… and won the respect of Ministers and backbenchers alike\". Indeed, I found Mr Palmer an able Speaker who moved proceedings smoothly, where all Members were given equal opportunities to air their views. He was diligent, proactive and effectively presided over our various Select Committees including the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs), through which the first batch of nine Nominated Members of Parliament of the Twelfth Parliament were nominated to the President for appointment.
Mr Palmer has said that he is \"deeply sorry\" to everyone who believed in him and supported him. On behalf of this House, I express our hope that Mr Palmer can redress his mistakes and rebuild his life. We wish him well.
Mdm Speaker, we will now need to look forward and focus on important national issues before this House. Indeed, Parliament has its work cut out for its remaining session. Over the next few months, we will debate the Population White Paper, the Budget and Estimates in the Committee of Supply. Singapore is at the cusp of transition as we face impending and difficult challenges, particularly from the effects of an ageing population coupled with low fertility rates. With more elderly Singaporeans, we must step up our social services and health care. For the first time in our history, the citizen workforce will shrink from 2020. Limits of land and labour will increasingly constrain our growth. We will have to adjust to lower growth rates compared to the last two decades. Against this, a more educated population has higher aspirations for jobs, wages and quality of living that we must satisfy. Our ASEAN neighbours, with their younger populations, abundant labour and natural resources will grow faster than us and give Singapore stiff competition for investments. The external
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environment remains uncertain with weak US, Europe and Japanese economies. The peace and security of our region is worrisome as tensions continue in the South China Sea, East China Sea and beyond. Together, we have achieved much in the past but Singapore's continued prosperity and progress is not and has never been a given.
Amid these challenges, we in this House must ably guide Singaporeans to choose wisely for our future to maintain, if not improve, our standard of living. There will be crucial national issues put before us and difficult decisions to make. We must expect vigorous debates to balance the trade-offs with different choices.
Mdm Speaker, in all of this, we expect your firm and impartial hand that will move our debates and deliberations towards fruitful and expeditious outcomes. In this, your task will be simpler if all Members remember to keep their speeches short and to the point.
Mdm Speaker, we look forward to your leadership and contributions in the years ahead. This House must quickly gear itself up for much work that lay ahead of us.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: Mdm Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to extend to you my heartiest congratulations on your election as the first female Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore.
Since the news of your nomination, many Singaporeans of all races, languages, religions, political affiliations and gender, have shown overwhelming support of you, both online and in traditional media.
Your stellar performance in your 30-year career as a legally trained unionist, a parliamentarian and as an office holder has been well covered in the local media. Our Prime Minister, no less, has commended you on the practical and compassionate voice you had brought to his Cabinet.
You have commanded the respect of many of your colleagues in the union. Many have no doubt that you will do a fine job as a Speaker, without fear or favour. Those who serve in the social services sector bid you a reluctant farewell – happy that you have been promoted but also confessing that they will miss interacting directly with a passionate and tireless supporter such as you. You have been especially known as a strong advocate for workers, women and the
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Malay/Muslim community.
On the personal front, despite your stellar rise, you have maintained a humble lifestyle of voluntary simplicity, a much aspired lifestyle choice for those who wish to travel lighter in our life journeys. You are, indeed, and truly a national asset.
Madam, your election as the first female Speaker of Parliament puts to rest the barrier of a glass ceiling for capable women in our country. With the recent additions of eminent female colleagues, such as Ms Indranee Rajah and Mrs Josephine Teo in the Cabinet, women are now much better represented in our country's senior leadership.
As ex-Chinese leader Mao Zedong once said, women hold up half the sky. Women who aspire to climb the corporate or political ladder now know that it is not impossible to reach the top, if that is what they wish.
Madam, I personally missed your company in the backbench when you were promoted in 2011 to become an office holder. I remember fondly an incident during our backbench days. Through exchange of views and notes across the seats, Member Christopher de Souza, your good self and I made a decision to not vote \"yes\" to the 2009 Human Organ Transplant Bill when the Whip was lifted. This was primarily due to our discomfort with some of the issues arising from payment to the donor.
As a new Member of Parliament, I learnt, from watching you, how an effective backbencher can skillfully prepare and present an argument without being unnecessarily harsh whilst making a stand according to one's conscience.
I will miss you now in the social services sector as you take on your new role as Speaker. In the last one year, you were making your presence felt as Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Family Development. Thank you for responding both with speed and heart whenever I sought your help for the children and families who needed an extra leg-up in the charities we serve.
Please continue to support me with speed and heart and not ignore me when I raise my hand or try to catch your eye for an opportunity to continue to speak up for them in this House.
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Finally, Madam, a wish for you. I am confident that with your capability and communication talents, your eloquence, you will carry out your duties as Speaker with fairness and dignity. My special wish for you is this – that beneath that power suit that you now don as our Speaker, you will always remain the same Halimah Yacob whom we have all come to like, love and respect. Borrowing from the words of British Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling in his poem \"If\", I hope that you will continue to \"talk with crowds and keep your virtue\" and \"walk with kings, yet not lose the common touch\". Walk with kings, yet not lose the common touch.
With that, our beloved Mdm Speaker, I pledge to you my utmost support.
Madam, before I end off, please allow me to express my appreciation of Mr Michael Palmer, your immediate predecessor.
When Michael Palmer was first elected as Speaker, those of us who were used to Speaker profiles who were far older, did not know what to expect of young Mr Palmer. He took over the Speakership at a time when a fair and steady hand was needed even more to manage the dynamics of a House with a mix of PAP Members of Parliament and a total of six elected Opposition Members of Parliament, three Non-Constituency Members of Parliament and nine Nominated Members of Parliament.
As time would tell, Mr Palmer quickly learnt the ropes and took to his Speaker duties well. I am sure many in the House would agree that Mr Palmer has discharged his duties as Speaker of the House with professionalism, fairness and confidence.
Personally, I was blessed to also serve the disadvantaged with Mr Palmer, outside this House. We briefly co-chaired a Disability Committee set up by Mayor Teo Ser Luck in his District. I recall that Michael was often patient and generous whenever we discussed individual appeals for help.
On other occasions, although I have never directly approached him for help in my volunteer work in the charities, he would direct donors to help the needy and disabled I serve. Mr Palmer, indeed, had used his influence to do good. I am sure I have the support of many in this House to register our appreciation for our ex-Speaker, Mr Michael Palmer. [Applause.]
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With that, let me end off and again extend my warmest congratulations for our new Mdm Speaker Halimah Yacob.
It has been a long wait from the day she entered politics in 2001, to the day she is elected to this significant position – more than 10 years. But as ex-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said, \"Everyone has his day; and some days last longer than others.\"
Kakak Halimah, may your days as the Speaker of this House last a long, long time. Congratulations. [Applause]
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence and Minister for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman): Mdm Speaker, first, allow me to join the other Members of the House in extending my heartiest congratulations to you on your election as Speaker of this House. I stand here with much joy and pride, not just because the House has elected the best person for the job, but that the person is a mentor, an inspiration and, above all, a dear friend.
We entered this House as Members of Parliament together almost 12 years ago. In your years as a backbencher and a labour Member of Parliament, you had been a voice of reason – one that is gentle but firm in reminding Ministers of how important it is to listen to the people when formulating policies. You are not afraid to call a spade, a spade.
In your steadfast and focused approach to advance the cause of workers, women and children and the plight of low-income families, you have gained the respect and admiration of many, both locally and internationally.
I recall the many personal appeals you would send to MND, HDB and even the CDCs of families needing help with housing and other social assistance – each with your persistent reminder of how much we have to help these families. Your appointment prior to this, as the Minister of State for then MCYS (now MSF), was welcomed news and, with what you have achieved thus far, you will leave behind big shoes to fill.
Indeed, your election as Speaker of this House is probably one decision that Singaporeans of all backgrounds and race will unanimously support. The news comes with nothing less than accolades and unending praises – from acknowledging your credentials for the post, to breaking the glass ceiling for women in public office, to bringing yet another proud moment
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for the Malay/Muslim community.
You are, indeed, the epitome of the spirit of a true Singaporean – striving to do your best in whatever you do, never compromising on your core principles of honesty and integrity – and that regardless of background, with hard work and determination, one can succeed beyond one's imagination.
Over your many distinguished years in the labour movement and public service, you must have been accorded with every adjective there is to give – humble yet assertive, woman extraordinaire, passionate politician, champion of the underclass, and many more.
You have, indeed, broken the glass ceiling many times over – the first woman to be awarded the Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award (Anugerah Jauhari) in 2001, the first Singaporean to serve on the International Labour Organization Board of Governors, and now, the first woman again, to be the Speaker of the Singapore Parliament. I am sure your years as Speaker will invite many more adjectives, including more \"firsts\", as you perform your role and carry out your duty with honour and distinction.
In the many years I have been privileged to know you, Mdm Speaker, I have always been touched by your sincerity and passion. It seems that the word \"tired\" is not in your vocabulary. Many have told me that it is hard to keep up with your energy, Mdm Speaker, but I am sure that we will all be energised by you. We look forward to your steady pair of hands in steering the debates in this House with impartiality and to bring this House to greater heights.
Mdm Speaker, please allow me to say a few words in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, ever since the news of your nomination as the Speaker of Parliament became widespread, the newspapers are filled with only words of accolades and congratulations, that were given to someone who best epitomises the words \"Nothing is impossible.\" The Malay/Muslim community is now excited and overjoyed as well as thankful to Mdm Speaker for successfully, once again, breaking the psychological barrier and ascend to newer heights that were unimaginable before this.
Mdm Speaker is not only the icon for the Malay/Muslim community specifically, but also for Singapore in general. Mdm Speaker is an inspiration to many Malay women and men out there. Each worker turns to Mdm Speaker for
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guidance and motivation. Each mother seeks advice from Mdm Speaker. Each Malay girl has the aspiration to become someone like Mdm Speaker. Our Malay/Muslim community is very proud in seeing how Mdm Speaker has successfully proved that behind that tudung and gentle demeanour lies a reasonable mind, an indomitable spirit and an extraordinary leader. Mdm Speaker is truly the epitome of the true spirit of Singapore, which, irrespective of background, with hard work and dedication, one can achieve beyond his or her wildest dreams.
Over your many distinguished years in the labour movement and the public service, you must have been accorded with every adjective there is to give: humble but assertive, extraordinary lady, champion of the underclass, and many other accolades. Mdm Speaker has broken the glass ceiling several times: The first lady to be awarded the Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award in 2001, the first Singaporean to serve on the International Labour Organization's Board and, now, the first woman again, to be Speaker of the Singapore Parliament. Surely, Mdm Halimah, there is no mountain that she cannot conquer, there is no ocean that she cannot cross. I am confident that there are many other mountains that Mdm Speaker will conquer in the future years. I am confident that Madam's time as the Speaker of Parliament will garner more words of praises and more \"firsts\", as Mdm Speaker performs her duties with honour and distinction.
(In English): Mdm Speaker, allow me to also extend my appreciation to your predecessor, Mr Michael Palmer, for his contribution as Speaker of this House. Although his tenure was short-lived, he did manage the proceedings of the House very well and allowed us to have good debates and make good progress.
Mdm Speaker, much lies ahead of us as a country. We have grown and seen many milestones since our independence. Today is, indeed, another milestone in our Singapore story that should be immortalised – when we see the ascension of a Malay girl from a humble family background who went to a Chinese girls' school, to one of the highest offices in the nation. It is truly a moment that we, as a country, must rejoice in. It is a moment, where meritocracy, as one of our cardinal principles, is illuminated – regardless of gender, ethnicity or attire – the best man or woman will be charged with the right job based on his or her own merits and capabilities.
With that, Mdm Speaker, may I extend again my heartiest congratulations to you and may you continue to be a source of inspiration for all of us in and
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out of this House. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Christopher de Souza: Mdm Speaker, may I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election to this post – a post heavy in responsibility.
Mr Michael Palmer occupied the Chair up to end last year. We were from the 2006 cohort, and worked together as fellow Backbenchers to put forth and debate initiatives which we believed would benefit Singapore or the Eurasian community. I remember working out a proposal together with Michael and then-Minister George Yeo to broaden the definition of \"Eurasian\" so that first-generation children whose parents were of Asian-European lineage, would be recognised officially as Eurasian, if their parents so wanted. We raised this in Parliament, the Government accepted our proposal, and this helped to open the door to new blood, new life in the community – and it was welcomed by the Eurasian Association. We then worked together with Minister S Iswaran when he took over the portfolio of representing Eurasians in Cabinet. Therefore, the Eurasian community was sad to see Michael leave this House though many, including myself, have also expressed the hope that his family will see this through. It is a hope we hold in earnest.
Michael was an active volunteer on the Eurasian Association's Legal panel even before entering politics, and we hope that, with time and when he is ready to, Michael will return and continue to contribute to Singapore and the Eurasian community, and continue to make a real difference in people's lives.
Mdm Speaker, I did some arithmetic on your career. While you were part of the Prime Minister's Cabinet for 19 months, you were a Backbencher for 113 months or nine and a half years.
The arithmetic would suggest that a lot of goodwill from the Backbenchers – these seats, and their occupants – flow with you to your Chair now. I hope, and am also confident, that this will lead to you, Mdm Speaker, allowing fair, robust and effective debate between the Frontbench and the Backbench, as you displayed so vividly as a Backbencher, going multiple times to the microphone to make your point, effectively and courteously. We, and certainly I, strongly believe that you, Mdm Speaker, believe in effectiveness with courtesy. Therefore, we promise to be courteous, and it is our hope that you will allow us, Backbenchers, the room and the time to be effective.
On a more personal note, I remember your independence of thought when analysing and debating many pieces of legislation and I felt re-assured that you,
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along with Ms Denise Phua and myself, recorded our concern for the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill. We were few among a vast majority, but you were bold enough to make a stand to protect foreign workers' interests, and your position made the legislation tighter, more effective downstream.
Such, Mdm Speaker, was your effectiveness as a Backbencher. This was matched by the compassion with which you answered sensitive questions, as a Frontbencher, especially on issues close to your heart – early childhood and empowerment of the less fortunate in our care, in our midst.
Therefore, I am confident that your stewardship over parliamentary proceedings will be fair and just, balanced and effective, and wish, on behalf of fellow Members of this House, the very best to you in your new role in this esteemed office. [Applause]
Ms Mary Liew (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I would like to join the Members of the House to extend our heartfelt congratulations.
We closed the year of 2012 last month with a very heavy heart when our previous Speaker, Mr Michael Palmer, resigned and we have, indeed, lost a talent. Mr Palmer has always been very kind and encouraging to all of us, especially to the Nominated Members of Parliament, and, of course, we hope that you will also extend the same kindness and fairness to all of us.
It was a great start to the new year when we heard that you were nominated as the Speaker of Parliament. The sisters and brothers, whom you have worked closely with in the Labour Movement, were overjoyed and we were so very happy for you. Although we missed you in the Labour Movement, we hope that, with your new role, you can extend your experience or help to the Labour Movement, and we join all Singaporeans to rejoice in your election.
You have always been compassionate in reaching out to us women, to the unionists, as well as workers on the ground, be it the PMEs, the middle-income group or even the low-wage workers and, especially, the less privileged. You have also been very down-to-earth and fair in your dealings with the unionists and also with the management as well.
Mdm Speaker, you are renowned for your outstanding contributions to workers, and your reputation has spread way beyond Singapore, especially in the International Labour Organization (ILO). You were the first Singaporean to be elected to the ILO Governing Body. As spokesperson, your hard work in the
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ILO has led to the adoption by the 100th Session of the International Labour Conference in June 2011 of the historic Domestic Workers' Convention 2011, No 189.
I quote the ILO Director of the International Labour Standards Department, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry. She said, \"You made a clarion call to the Conference for binding standards to provide decent work for domestic workers, thereby providing them with what they lack most: recognition as workers, and respect and dignity as human beings. Domestic workers all over the world owe you a debt of gratitude.\"
Indeed, Madam, you truly have done Singapore proud. We have seen over the years that you have demonstrated to all of us in the Labour Movement that charity always begins at home, and we witnessed how you have walked the talk and tirelessly attended to your call of duty while taking care of the needs of your family of five children and also your extended family, including your parents. I cannot agree with you more that it is great to stay in our HDB flats, and I, for one, love my HDB flat. However, should you need to move out of your flat one day, Madam, people will understand.
Today, I am deeply honoured and count it a blessing to be here in this House to witness this historical moment that we now have the first woman Speaker in Parliament and that clearly you have the Labour Movement DNA in you. Madam, although you are now the Speaker of Parliament, we look forward to you to continue to stay true to your calling to be fair and just to help the weak and the less privileged in Singapore, to be the voice of conscience for our people, and that you will not only be known as the first woman Speaker of this House but truly an inspiring people's Speaker. And, with that, I congratulate you, Madam, and wish you the very best in your new journey. Thank you. [Applause.]
The Minister of State for Finance and Transport (Mrs Josephine Teo): When I joined the NTUC in 2005, I learnt of the tireless efforts of many outstanding union leaders and their sterling contributions to tripartism in Singapore. They were the shining stars whom younger unionists like me look up to, and you, Mdm Speaker, were among those who shone the brightest.
One of your biggest contributions to the Labour Movement was your expertise in labour legislation, which you built up through your intense focus on championing the rights of workers ever since you joined the NTUC in 1978. Over the years, Mdm Halimah became the \"go-to\" person for NTUC's affiliated unions on matters of the law. You represented them at the Industrial Arbitration
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Court on a wide range of cases, including disputes on working hours, annual increments, bonuses and retrenchment benefits.
For your legal opponents, it must have been quite daunting to be up against your formidable knowledge of labour law, never mind your reputation for dogged persistence. In a landmark 2009 case, your arguments helped to confirm the important principle that a union's right to engage in collective bargaining is enshrined in the law and cannot be ignored by employers. It was, and still is, no exaggeration to refer to you as \"a walking dictionary of labour law\".
Kakak, you are also widely respected as a champion for women. You started the iconic Back-to-Work Women programme, and spoke out passionately for more support to help women who had taken time out to care for young families to re-enter the workforce. You stood up for single mothers and started the \"We Care for U\" programme to provide emotional and practical support to them, placing strong emphasis on their children's education. Needless to say, you helped to nurture many women union leaders by guiding and mentoring them.
Colleagues, in the international labour movement, Mdm Halimah is well-known and well-respected as an advocate of workers' interests. Singapore's unique brand of tripartism has drawn its share of criticisms over the years. However, through the active representation of our union leaders like Mdm Halimah, we have won over our detractors.
There is no one at the International Labour Organization (ILO) who does not know her. In recognition of her steadfast commitment to the cause of the ILO, she was elected as the Workers' Vice-Chairperson of the Standards Committee of the International Labour Conference (ILC) and she was elected on four separate occasions, not just once. Significantly, she was elected as the Workers' Spokesperson for two important ILC Committees – on Human Resources Development and Training in 2003 and 2004, and on Domestic Workers, when it was first formed in 2010.
Even after Mdm Halimah was appointed Minister of State, she offered to return to the ILC to finish the challenging task she had started in 2010 to have the ILO adopt a new Convention and Recommendation aimed at improving the working conditions of domestic workers worldwide. She was a key contributor to the successful adoption of this new landmark standard in 2011, a standard that was first raised at the ILC in 1948 but never materialised. Given her high standing, I am certain she will be very valuable to the NTUC should it decide to
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appoint her in an advisory role.
My esteemed colleagues, Mdm Halimah deserves all the accolades you have heard or read about her. There can be no doubt in anyone's mind that she is here on her own merit, and not because of her gender, race or connections. In my humble opinion, her election as Singapore's ninth Speaker of Parliament is nothing less than an inspired choice of the highest order. Not only does she have the personal qualities to discharge the duties of Speaker with competence and dignity, she embodies the courage and conviction of Singaporeans who rise above their circumstances.
In doing so, she bears true testimony to the system of meritocracy that has served us so well. She is a reminder to all of us in the House of our shared purpose, and, that is, to keep improving the lives of our fellow Singaporeans so that each citizen has the opportunity to fulfil his or her highest potential. Please join me in congratulating our new Speaker, Mdm Halimah Yacob.[Applause]
Mdm Speaker: Hon Members, I would first like to thank Ms Denise Phua and Mr Christopher de Souza for proposing and supporting my election as the Speaker of the House. I would also like to thank the Leader of the House, Dr Maliki, Ms Mary Liew and Mrs Josephine Teo for their kind words of support and encouragement. Let me also take this opportunity to thank everyone, both inside and outside this House, for your very kind thoughtful messages and well wishes. I have received a lot of support from ordinary Singaporeans, that I feel so humbled and all the more compelled to do the best that I can to uphold the dignity and respect of this august body. I will discharge my functions fairly and impartially, and uphold the best traditions of this House.
In the midst of all the well wishes, quite a number had also expressed their concern that, once elected as Speaker, I will not be able to raise issues affecting ordinary Singaporeans. The Speaker of the House, as the presiding officer of Parliament, has to remain neutral and independent at all times, and this is the reason why the Speaker cannot take part in the debates. However, this does not prevent me from raising your concerns through other channels or giving my views on policies that affect Singaporeans' lives. I am also heartened by our Prime Minister's statement that he would look at ways to involve me in social issues, so that I could continue to contribute in ways that have made my work thus far so fulfilling, so long as this is compatible with the Speaker's position.
Hon Members, you have bestowed upon me this great honour of being the Speaker of the House. I am aware of the huge demands of this Office and the
\tPage: 24
heavy responsibilities of this office, and the duties that have been placed upon me. I am confident that I will have your support and cooperation in the discharge of these duties and in the conduct of proceedings in this House. You will agree with me that we owe a duty to the people of Singapore who have placed us in this House to act in their best interest. Hon Members may have different views, and I expect the debate to be vigorous. I believe that rigorous examination of policies and laws will no doubt ensure greater clarity, contribute to stronger policy making and better reflect the needs of our society. As the guardian of parliamentary privileges, I expect Members to speak freely but I also urge you to respect these privileges accorded to us as Members of Parliament. We have a duty to ensure the decorum and uphold the dignity and honour of this House.
Let me also say a few words about my predecessor, Mr Michael Palmer. Although Mr Palmer's stint as Speaker was short, you will agree with me – and many have already echoed earlier on – that he has discharged his duties in this House with great distinction and honour, and we must thank him for his service. He was a good Speaker, and I have taken note of the many requests made earlier that I should be as kind to you in my dealings as he was.
Hon Members, regardless of where we stand on issues, we are all joined by only one purpose, and, that is, to serve the people of Singapore. This is a goal that we are duty-bound to fulfill. It is much higher than ourselves or our own individual interests. The next few years will be critical times for us. Globally, the world is facing a lot of challenges, and the issue for us is how to remain economically competitive so that our people can continue to benefit from our growth. At home, an ageing population, a declining fertility rate, a widening income gap and concerns over social mobility, will no doubt occupy our minds. We all have a role to play in building a truly inclusive society. As we go through each session of this Parliament, let us be reminded by what the great novelist and poet, Robert Louis Stevenson said, \"Don't judge each day by the harvest that you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.\" On this note, hon Members, I thank you. [Applause]
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The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr K Shanmugam): Mdm Speaker, the actions by some of the SMRT drivers from China have been and are being dealt with in accordance with our laws. Our laws apply equally to all Singaporeans and foreigners residing in Singapore. So, we see this strictly as a matter of law enforcement and do not expect the incident to affect relations between Singapore and China.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Implications for Singapore from Recent US Presidential Election and Leadership Renewal in China","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"2 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what are the implications for Singapore in respect of the outcome of the recent US presidential election as well as the leadership renewal in China.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr K Shanmugam): Mdm Speaker, Dr Lim asked about the implications for Singapore in respect of the outcome of the recent US Presidential Election as well as the leadership renewal in China. First, if I may look at the US. Singapore and the US have consistently enjoyed good relations through successive Administrations. The relationship is anchored by strong cooperation. We have many areas of common interests across a range of issues. The institutionalisation of the US-Singapore Strategic Partnership Dialogue in 2012 is an example of the ever-strengthening bilateral links. Both sides continue to engage each other and carry out high-level exchanges to maintain the good personal relationships that already exist at several levels. And we will continue to further broaden and deepen the current state of good bilateral relationships.
The US' continued presence in Asia has contributed to the region's prosperity and security. One strength of the US' Asia-Pacific strategy over the last 30 years has been that it is essentially bipartisan and remaining steady and consistent through successive Administrations. With President Obama's re-
\tPage: 26
election, we can expect continuity on US' policy on Asia and the President's first overseas visit after re-election was to our region, amongst others to attend the Seventh East Asia Summit and the Fourth ASEAN-US Leaders Meeting. That sent a strong signal of his Administration's continued commitment to this region. We hope that the new Secretary of State will also make an early visit to the region and participate in ASEAN meetings.
Now, looking at China, we enjoy a close co-operative relationship with China and we do not expect the relationship to be affected by the leadership transition. Indeed, we expect it to be strong. Many new Chinese leaders are already familiar with Singapore and our leaders. Our relations are built on a foundation of strong, regular institutional links, for example, the Joint Council for Bilateral Co-operation, and we have common interests on a wide range of issues. The strength of our relationship is evidenced by the frequent high-level exchanges and close co-operation on several bilateral projects, for example, the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-city, and others at the provincial level, for example, the Guangzhou Knowledge City, as well as the Provincial Councils with provinces like Jiangsu and Sichuan. The business-to-business as well as people-to-people links are also robust. We look forward to continue working well with the new Chinese leaders to further strengthen ties between the two countries.
\tMs Irene Ng Phek Hoong (Tampines): Madam, the Maritime disputes in the South China Sea have become increasingly contentious and tense. Adding to the complexity is the growing Sino-US competition for influence in this region. I would like to ask the Minister two supplementary questions, given Singapore's interest in ensuring freedom of navigation and in preserving the peace and stability of our region. First, can I ask the Minister for his assessment of how the leadership transitions in both the US and China, and the shifting domestic politics in both these countries, will affect the fundamental positions of the countries on the South China Sea dispute and the dynamics of the dispute? Second, can I ask the Minister if he is concerned that with the growing US-China competition in this region, divisions within ASEAN may widen and call into question the aspirations for centrality in the region?
\tMr K Shanmugam: First, on the leadership changes and the shifting balances as well as the growing nationalism within the countries, and how that might impact on the region. I think, fundamentally, we must expect all countries to act in their own interest. That must be so for big powers and the way Singapore has put the message across is that peace and prosperity in this region for the last 50 years have been maintained by a number of principles, but, primarily, by making sure that the region is stable. And stability has been
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brought about by a strong American presence as well as an acceptance by everyone that open trade, free trade and building up linkages, creating an ASEAN architecture and regional architecture on that base, have been the fundamentals of prosperity. And that should continue. That is in America's interest, as well as in China's interest – that we have a strong and credible ASEAN and that we have freedom of navigation across both sides. We are putting forward a number of ideas for that, for example, encouraging the claimant countries, the various countries which are claiming in the South China Sea, to agree to a Code of Conduct that everyone can be a party to.
The issues relating to sovereignty – who owns what – are not likely to be resolved in our lifetimes. So, really, the approach is to try and put that on the back burner, and agree on a way in which countries can relate to each other and co-operate with each other, and what can be done and what cannot be done. That would preserve peace. And we welcome the growth of China. It has been an unmitigated positive for all of Asia. We have over $50 billion invested. China's growth is a continued fundamental for our own success and for the region's success. US and China would have to find a way of dealing with each other that does not affect the peace in this region. And we believe that, broadly, that will be achieved.
As regards specifically on ASEAN, there would always be a temptation by one country or another to see if they can get closer to some ASEAN countries. Again, we must expect all major countries to act in their own interest, but we have made the point quite forcefully that a united ASEAN better serves the interests of the major powers. Because ASEAN, with 600 million people and growth at about somewhere around 5% or so, and with the regional economy close to US$2 trillion, is poised for take-off. If our ASEAN vision comes through and the connectivity comes through, we will have roads, railroads, better connections, and the economies will become intermeshed. As a result of which it provides tremendous opportunities for the US, Japan and China. So, a united, prosperous, successful ASEAN is in everyone's interest. A divided ASEAN is in no one's interest. And that is the message that Singapore continues to give.
\tDr Lim Wee Kiak (Nee Soon): I would like to thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs for this reply. I would like to ask the Minister: what are the implications of the changes in the Obama Administration leadership team, particularly the Secretary of State, as well as the Defence Secretary who is somebody who has served in the Vietnam war? Does he sense that there will be a change in terms of the outlook towards ASEAN? What are the implications to the new leadership in China and how does that impact Singapore on the
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whole?
\tMr K Shanmugam: At this stage, of course, we do not have a new Secretary of State or Secretary of Defence. Nominations have been made. If those nominations go through, we have reasons to believe that the American policy towards Southeast Asia and East Asia will continue to be what it has been so far. The policy the last time round was put together by the Administration together with the State department. As I said earlier, these policies are based on national interests, which do not vary from Administration to Administration, and US policy towards Asia has been essentially bipartisan, so we expect that that will continue.
As regards the dynamics of the US relationship with China with new leadership in both countries, as the Member might know, I made a major speech in Turkey last week, or the week before, and our own assessment is that the US and China now have many touch-points, many bilateral routes of engagement, and they understand the need to accommodate each other and each other's interests and work out a modus vivendi that would not endanger peace.
There are certainly risks. We see in newspaper reports of tensions rising or potential clashes and so on, so let us not underestimate the risks. In fact, over the last few years, the risks have grown. But, fundamentally, we believe that it is in both their interests and our interests that they come to some accommodation. Whether they will indeed do so, whether everything will be peaceful, I cannot assure you. If that does not happen and tensions rise, it can be pretty severe for the region and for us. Regular incidents of naval craft or aircraft confronting each other, of course, impact on how we view the situation.
\tMr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member): Thank you, Mdm Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the insights into the changes in both the US and China. I would like to ask a bit more explicitly, does this mean that the relationship that Singapore has maintained with both those powers will continue to be maintained in the way of balance and emphasis, or does the Minister expect the changes or the relationships to be evolved going forward, shifting the balance between how we engage both the US and China?
\tMr K Shanmugam: The relative weight of China is growing. I am not one of those who believe that the US is in permanent decline. Nevertheless, the respective levels of influence, there will be a relative shift. And Singapore's position has consistently been to be good friends of both. That is in our interest, and that will continue to be in our interest. Would that be a challenge-free
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approach? It really depends on how the state of relationships between US and China develops. It could develop in a way that makes it challenging for all of us who are friends with both countries, and we will just have to adapt to that.
Mdm Speaker: Mr David Ong, next question, please.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reviewing Rationale for Executive Condominiums","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"3 Mr David Ong asked the Minister for National Development in view of the recent sale of an executive condominium (EC) penthouse for $1.61 million in Yishun, what is HDB's rationale for the building of executive condominiums (ECs) and whether EC prices are becoming unaffordable for Singaporeans earning less than a household income of $12,000.
4 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for National Development whether the Government will consider (i) reviewing the policy intent for having Executive Condominiums (ECs); and (ii) imposing restrictions on developers of ECs to prevent the sale of flat units which are excessively large or which are too highly priced.
5 Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the recent prices of the Executive Condominiums (ECs), including a penthouse which eclipsed the $2 million mark, subverts the purpose of the Government-subsidised EC housing to cater to the \"sandwich class\"; and (b) whether tighter measures should be put in place to regulate the EC market, such as a clause in the EC contract to prevent developers from building large penthouses and over-pricing units.
6 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Executive Condominium (EC) housing scheme has met the objective of providing affordable quality housing to households with a monthly income of between $10,000 to $12,000; (b) what is the estimated amount of Government subsidy per EC unit, including land cost subsidy; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider tweaking the EC housing scheme to maintain the intent of the EC housing scheme.
7 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether it is necessary to take further measures to maintain the principles on which Executive Condominiums (ECs) are built and priced; and (b) how the
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Ministry can ensure provision of affordable housing through the Executive Condominium Housing Scheme.
8 Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the recent prices of Executive Condominiums (ECs) are making them less accessible to those in the targeted income group; (b) whether there are similar trends between EC prices and market prices of private condominiums; (c) what measures will the Ministry consider if the principles of EC sales are not adhered to and if the prices of ECs are out of reach for interested buyers, especially those with limited options; and (d) whether the higher EC prices have resulted in any increase in Government subsidies to make new ECs more affordable to interested buyers, especially first-timers.
The Minister for National Development (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): Mdm Speaker, may I have your permission to take six questions – Question Nos 3 to 8 – together, please?
Mdm Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: The Executive Condominium (EC) Housing Scheme serves a useful purpose of meeting the aspirations of higher income Singaporeans to own private housing in an affordable way. This is done by imposing on EC buyers certain initial eligibility and ownership restrictions which are similar to those for subsidised HDB flats. As a result of these restrictions, EC developers are able to secure the land cheaper than otherwise. The land cost savings are very substantial, sometimes up to 40%. With further assistance from the CPF Housing Grant, many citizen households have gained access to private condominiums through the EC Scheme.
However, some developers have taken to building super-sized ECs and, in some instances, also by taking advantage of some URA planning rules. Last week, we announced two measures to correct this. First, we now impose a size cap of 160 square metres for each EC unit. Second, we now count Private Enclosed Spaces (PES) and roof terraces as gross floor area (GFA), which will be subject to Development Charge or Differential Premium. These GFA cannot exceed 10% of the Master Plan stipulated gross plot ratio.
Related to this is the issue of dual-key ECs. We have allowed such design innovation as it supports multi-generational families by offering privacy. However, the concept has now been taken advantage of by some buyers, who buy dual-key units for immediate rental yield. To address this, we now require
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buyers of dual-key EC units to be multi-generational families.
In addition, we have also announced a fourth measure to delay EC developer sales. For new EC land sales, developers will only be allowed to launch units for sale 15 months from the date of award of the sites, or after physical completion of foundation works, whichever is earlier. This should help moderate EC land bids, as bidders will now have to take a longer term view of the property market and can no longer pass on such market risks to EC buyers soon after securing the land.
Taken together, this package of four measures should return ECs to their original intent, and ensure developers build ECs to benefit the intended target buyers.
\tMr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang): Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister for the clarification. In my Parliamentary Question I also asked about the subsidies given for ECs. I understand that ECs are subsidised. I have three supplementary questions: (1) How has it impacted Government subsidies in light of the run-away EC prices?; (2) Was this within the subsidies that the Government budgeted for; that is, what has been spent; and (3) How do we protect our interest such that developers do not profit from Government subsidies?
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: Madam, that is why we introduced the four measures that will protect our interest and make sure the scheme returns to its original spirit.
\tMr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Madam, if I may ask the Minister, in view of the household income cap of $12,000, would MND also consider a price cap for ECs such that buyers will not be unduly stretched financially? Perhaps, this will also ensure that developers do not build opulent or ostentatious ECs and try to keep them affordable for Singaporeans.
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: Madam, the selling price of ECs will very much depend on the size of the EC. By capping the size of the EC, I think, automatically, the price will become more sober.
\tEr Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Madam, I would like to ask the Minister, in view of the popularity of the dual-key units in EC, would the Minister consider reintroducing the multi-generational new BTO flats for those who have larger
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families and cannot afford ECs?
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: Madam, I think the huge popularity of dual-key units is largely among buyers who are not really multi-generational families. They were taking advantage of this planning rule which we have now fixed.
\tMr David Ong (Jurong): Madam, I have two supplementary questions: one is whether official approval has been sought by the developers when they marketed the expensive ECs, like the now infamous $2 million EC. Second, if official approval has been sought and granted by the Ministry, would it be a violation of the good intent and spirit of the EC programme? And why was the approval given by the Ministry?
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: Madam, all developments are subject to planning approval, and the same applies to ECs. Those earlier plans were approved because those were the planning rules at that point in time. But as soon as we realised that the planning rules were being taken advantage of, we fixed them, and I think such deviations should soon be history.
\tMr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Madam, I thank the Minister for his answer. Do the recent prices for ECs not suggest that those purchasing can afford to purchase private property? And, if so, how can the Government ensure that even with the new rules, that ECs are only intended for those that the scheme is designed to benefit? If they cannot ensure that, should it even continue with the EC scheme?
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: Madam, I have expressed an opinion on ECs before. It is really a wonderful scheme. It protects middle income Singaporeans from competition and ensures a very market-friendly way of allowing them to buy condominiums at affordable prices. If I may give an analogy – it is like offering you a Lexus at Corolla price, but only Singaporeans have this privilege of doing so and they know that, in due course, the price will go up to Lexus and above Lexus level. So, I think it is a very good scheme. We should try to ensure its continuance because it is relevant. As to the abuse or it being taken advantage of by families who can actually afford private properties coming in to take up ECs, such buyers were very much encouraged by these huge EC units, and caused this phenomenon. Even though we have fixed this rule, I will continue to be vigilant. If, the abuse continues, then we may have to think of other ways of fixing this problem.
Page: 33
\tEr Dr Lee Bee Wah: Mdm Speaker, I would like to inform the Minister that I have residents who requested for the reintroduction of these multi-generational flats because they could not afford to buy from the open market. In fact, I think that there is demand because I have residents who came to appeal for it.
\tMr Khaw Boon Wan: I thank the Member for the feedback. We will take a look.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Compensation for Medical Expenses for Servicemen Injured while On Duty","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"9 Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Minister for Defence whether his Ministry provides adequate compensation for the long-term medical expenses and related costs of living for navy servicemen who are critically injured while on duty.
\tThe Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mdm Speaker, first, let me thank the Member for his concern over the care and rehabilitation of our injured servicemen. Unfortunately, every military force will encounter death and disability among its servicemen. It is, therefore, important that our compensation and welfare frameworks provide the necessary assistance and support to affected servicemen and their families. Let me explain our compensation and welfare frameworks.
First, MINDEF will pay for all medical expenses for treatment of injured servicemen at Government and restructured hospitals or clinics. This includes the costs of medical supplies and equipment, counselling and psychiatric care for as long as required by the servicemen.
Second, injured servicemen will receive lump sum compensation based on the degree of permanent disability sustained. The amount is doubled for disabilities that resulted during military training or operations. Additional amounts are also provided to servicemen who have total permanent disability for their constant care.
Third, the SAF will aim to re-deploy disabled servicemen to vocations that fit their abilities.
Fourthly, the SAF Benevolent Fund provides discretionary amounts in welfare support to our injured servicemen and their families. For example, a
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serviceman with total permanent disability will receive a one-off grant, as well as a monthly allowance for at least three years.
In summary, MINDEF has frameworks in place to provide financial compensation and welfare support for disabled servicemen to take care of their healthcare, long-term rehabilitation and daily needs, as well as assist their families financially. The amounts are significantly higher than that disbursed under the Work Injury Compensation Act and the civil courts.
Some Members will know that ME2 Jason Chee, a Navy serviceman who was seriously injured as a result of an incident on 10 December last year. ME2 Jason Chee will receive full support from the various schemes that I have talked about. Following the incident, we have witnessed many acts of compassion by fellow Singaporeans. Many have expressed condolences, donated blood and monetary contributions to help in the long-term care of ME2 Chee and his family. I am deeply touched and thankful for this outpouring of public support for our servicemen. This strong public support for our injured servicemen will go a long way in strengthening their resolve and the resolve of our armed forces as they do their duty in defending Singapore.
\tMr Teo Siong Seng (Nominated Member): I thank the Minister for the explanation. I believe that the investigations showed that the injury was actually due to the failure of the winch mechanism. So, would this affect the compensation?
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: I must first qualify that investigations have not been completed and there are a number of causes. One of the preliminary findings is that there were some failures in that, but there were other causes. But I can say that ME2 Jason Chee's injury was due to service and he will be compensated on that basis.
\tDr Lim Wee Kiak: Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, when was the last time this compensation package was reviewed. Will the SAF be prepared again to review the compensation package to servicemen who are injured?
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: Madam, I understand the Member's concerns. I would say that it is not fixed. The base layer is compatible with what we have for the workmen's compensation. So, it was adopted based on that, and even the workmen's compensation moves. But over and above that, as I said, we have additional amounts. So, if it is due to service, the amounts are doubled. On top
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of that, we have additional grants and financial and compensation schemes. So, I would say that, in general, it is much more generous than the base layer. But, obviously, we do review it from time to time.
\tMr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member): Thank you, Mdm Speaker, one supplementary question for the Minister. Does this compensation scheme extend equally to both serving full-time NSmen as well as regulars? And has there been feedback from families or the servicemen themselves as to the extent of the compensation?
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: Madam, yes, it extends to all NSmen and we have a structure in which there is an appeal board. So, if families and servicemen who are affected have queries about the amount, this compensation appeal board will listen to their case.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Inclusion of Training Safety in Appraisal for SAF Leadership","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"10 Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Defence whether training safety and health issues can be included as a distinct key performance indicator in a commander's annual performance appraisal in the Singapore Armed Forces and in the evaluation process of units for the annual SAF Best Unit and Best NS Unit competitions.
The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Madam, the safety and health of our soldiers are of utmost importance to the SAF. The SAF holds our commanders to high standards of safety and health in their units. The Member has asked for the annual performance scheme, and I will tell him that the appraisal of our commanders includes an assessment of how well their units meet standards in safety and health. Those who uphold high standards are duly recognised. If commanders or their units are found to have unsatisfactory safety or health standards, they not only receive poor performance appraisals, but it is something docked against them. Commanders who flout safety rules or allow unsafe practices are also dealt with seriously.
The annual Best Unit Competition has always assessed units in the areas of safety and health. In this regard, our units are audited annually on training safety, occupational safety and health, and motor-transport safety. So, to be able to participate in the Best Unit Competition, units must achieve a high safety
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score of at least 90%. This applies to both active and NS units.
Beyond using safety as a key performance indicator, for our commanders and our units, we have always emphasised the importance of a strong safety culture. Units are encouraged to report near-misses, unsafe practices and safety breaches. Commanders have been reminded, and are reminded often, that safety is a command responsibility.
Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Madam, I thank the Minister for his reply, especially his assurance that safety and health issues are taken seriously by MINDEF. But what I fail to understand is that, despite all these measures, we have training accidents which are fairly severe in nature. Is it a result of a failure in the officers and men and women of the SAF to internalise this training safety and health culture? Or, could it be that issues, such as training safety and health, although being measured, are perhaps not being measured enough such that the commanders and officers tend not to pay sufficient attention? I think there is concern about the frequency and extent of service injuries in recent times.
\tDr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Speaker, MINDEF obviously shares those concerns. Every time an incident happens, we have to review the system and make sure that it is robust. On the other hand, we have to benchmark ourselves in terms of the number of injuries and deaths, against something that we can objectively measure. I would say that, as a general benchmark, our rates are fairly low, whether it is for the various services or across the board. Having said that, we are always striving for \"nil\" incidents. Each time something happens, we will just have to continue to strengthen the system. Do the recent incidents reflect an attitude? This is certainly something that we do not want to happen and that is why we have taken certain steps, as I have made known in my Ministerial Statement the last time Parliament sat, about how we are stepping up the safety culture and we will continue to monitor this very carefully.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Policy Reasons for Non-publication of Top PSLE Scorers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"11 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked whether the decision not to publish the top PSLE scorers or the primary schools with the top PSLE scores is a temporary measure and whether there are broader policy reasons behind the decision.
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12 Mr R Dhinakaran asked what factors tipped the balance in favour of the Ministry's decision not to name the top scorers for the 2012 PSLE examinations.
\tThe Minister for Education (Mr Heng Swee Keat): Mdm Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 11 and 12 together?
Mdm Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr Heng Swee Keat: MOE has reviewed and decided to stop the practice of releasing the names of the top Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scorers. Instead, MOE provided the media with a list of students from various schools who have performed well in both academic and non-academic aspects and/or have shown resilience and determination in overcoming the odds to excel in their education. The change is aimed at recognising students for their holistic development and all-round excellence, and not just their academic performance only.
Education is a long journey. The PSLE marks the conclusion of one stage of a child's learning journey and the beginning of another. It is important to help our students to develop the disposition to embark on this long journey. We want to encourage them to persevere, to pursue learning along appropriate pathways and help them to succeed in each milestone. We hope parents will join us to encourage their children to develop a love for learning and become life-long learners.
The decision to stop releasing the list of top scorers is not to address PSLE stress per se or to move away from merit. It is to signal and align our practices with the emphasis on holistic development and all-round excellence.
\tDr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio): Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister for the reply. The move to stop publishing the top PSLE scores and scorers is a good one. At the same time, will the Ministry stop publishing the range of aggregate scores that the Secondary 1 cohort students obtain, as they gain admission into each Secondary school, as is currently available on the School Information Services website?
\tMr Heng Swee Keat: Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for her support. Today, the entry scores provide some indication or a guide to parents in terms of the schools that their children can apply to. But, as in all measures, we will
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be looking at it together with other issues that are relevant to the posting of Secondary school students.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Investigation into Hacking of People's Association's Websites","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"13 Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Communications and Information with regard to the recent hacking of the website of the People's Association and 16 related sites (a) whether more information about the hackers has been found; (b) whether there is any leakage of personal information of visitors to the affected websites; (c) what risks did visitors to the websites face; and (d) what actions have been taken to enhance cyber security of Government websites.
\tThe Minister for Communications and Information (Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim): Madam, let me begin by congratulating you on your election as Speaker of Parliament. Madam, I would like to assure the Member that the Government takes a serious view of security breaches and remains vigilant to cyber security threats. MCI and the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) work closely with Government agencies to put in place stringent security measures to secure our Government websites. These measures include establishing security policies, standards and guidelines, conducting regular security tests, as well as scans for vulnerabilities. Government agencies are also required to conduct security reviews and audits periodically to ensure compliance with the security policies and standards. At the whole-of-Government level, the Cyber Watch Centre (CWC) monitors Government websites and provides timely alerts when intrusions are detected. In the event of a security incident, IDA's Government IT Security Incident Response (GITSIR) team coordinates with agencies to perform investigations and supports agencies' response to the incident.
On the recent defacement of the People's Association's websites, the Member has asked whether more information about the hackers has been found. Police investigations for the case are currently ongoing. While the defaced websites carried the signature of the \"HighTech Brazil HackTeam\", a known hacking group that targets government and private websites around the world, the actual identity of the perpetrators has yet to be established. Preliminary investigations have traced the hacking activities to Internet Protocol addresses in foreign countries, and the Police have already requested
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assistance from their foreign counterparts as part of their investigations.
The Member has also asked whether the personal information of visitors was compromised and whether visitors faced any risks visiting the affected websites during that period. The affected websites provide general information about the People's Association and its programmes, and the websites were not used to carry out online transactions other than allowing the public to submit online feedback. Based on preliminary findings, there was no evidence of any leakage of visitors' personal information. The affected websites were taken offline upon detection of the website defacement and visitors were not exposed to further risks.
IDA has worked with the People's Association to quickly fix the vulnerability in a software tool used by one of the affected websites to gain access to the system. The affected websites were restored progressively between 4 December 2012 and 7 December 2012 with enhanced security measures implemented. Following the incident, IDA notified all Government agencies about the software vulnerability and is working with them to check that the same vulnerability does not exist elsewhere. No other similar hacking attempts were detected.
Madam, my Ministry and IDA will continue to work closely with the Government agencies to strengthen the security of our websites. Where needed, additional security safeguards and risk mitigating measures would be put in place to ensure the integrity of our websites, taking into account new technologies and risks.
\tMr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines): Thank you, Madam. I would like to ask Minister: given this recent attack, how would the parameters or guidelines for cyber-security for Government websites and the parameters for periodic reviews be enhanced to prevent future attacks? The second question is: given the prevalent use of SingPass for many of the Government websites, how is the Government going to ensure the security of such transactions for our citizens?
\tAssoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to assure the Member and the House that there is a system in place which monitors Government websites on a continual basis. It is really to ensure that if there is a detection of an incident, we will move in very rapidly. Meanwhile, there are policies and guidelines in which we have encouraged all agencies dealing with highly sensitive data or websites to put in place proper systems. They are being audited, not only by the IDA, but they are expected to be audited on their own
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through acquiring expertise from the private sector. Most importantly, the regular reviews by the team within IDA and Government help us to ensure that we learn better and, at the same time, put in place new measures.
To the Member's final question about SingPass, it has been working quite well. We are not resting on our laurels. We will continue to monitor the situation. Thus far, the system is safe and secure.
To the Member's other question of whether our parameters and policies will change from this incident, we are reviewing this. The incidents are still undergoing investigation. And certainly, we will learn from this as to whether we need to enhance it or not. One thing that we have learnt is that we were aware of this vulnerability. In fact, the agencies using this software were told to do so to check ahead of time. There was a lapse in maintenance, and the agency responsible has informed us that they will step up the maintenance regime to ensure that the checking and the auditing are done in a more timely manner.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Maintaining Singapore's Values as Growth Continues","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"14 Mr Nicholas Fang asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what are the key values and principles that should be maintained in Singapore as the country continues to set its objectives for the future; and (b) how can Singaporeans achieve the balance between these values and the drive for continued growth and progress.
\tThe Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mdm Speaker, a society's values must resonate with its people. Over the years, we have periodically undertaken nationwide exercises to engage Singaporeans about the values and principles we should uphold as we chart our nation's future. For example, the White Paper on our Shared Values (1991), Singapore 21 (1999) and Remaking Singapore (2002) involved extensive consultations.
Our Singapore Conversation also seeks to engage Singaporeans about the shared values, ideals and aspirations that we hold dear. What has surfaced from the dialogues so far is that Singaporeans continue to care deeply about their families. They want a just and fair society that balances economic growth with a good quality of life. They also value graciousness, kindness and help for the
\tPage: 41
less fortunate.
Racial and religious harmony remain crucial to maintaining social cohesion in multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore. Meritocracy is another fundamental principle underpinning our society. It helps ensure that we build a society where everyone is given opportunities to progress, regardless of race, language or religion. These are principles and values that Singaporeans cherish, and which we must protect as our society moves forward.
These values are not at odds with the drive for economic growth and progress. However, if we pursue economic growth without concern for social justice, social well-being and cohesion, we will ultimately undermine many of the values we hold dear.
So, as a society, we have to strike a balance between head and heart, between our material and intangible goals. Each of us can also do our part as Singaporeans. There must be a collective will to live out our shared values through our actions. I am encouraged to see more and more Singaporeans doing so. There are many people, young and old, who champion and volunteer for good causes, and who contribute their time and energies to help their fellow citizens, and to shape the character and life of our society.
My Ministry will do its part to help strengthen social and cultural capital in Singapore. We will work with Singaporeans to inspire the Singapore spirit, whether through the arts, heritage or sports, and nurture stronger communities. We also want to foster a spirit of giving and volunteerism, so that, together, we can build a society founded on the values we cherish as a nation.
\tMr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member): I would like to thank the Acting Minister for the response. I appreciate the fact that he had pointed out that certain values, while not in direct contradiction with economic growth and development, do pose challenges to the issues and directions we still try to champion. One of them is meritocracy, and is something that is mentioned quite often in this House. I believe that at the last National Day Rally, there was reference to extreme meritocracy and its potential dangers and pitfalls. How are we going to ensure that while we keep the positive elements of these values, going forward, we are able to differentiate between the negative elements of that, take out the positives, and then, through the work of your Ministry, to keep encouraging that and growing at the same time?
Page: 42
\tMr Lawrence Wong: I believe one aspect of that is in relation to policy. There are already reviews being done, for example, on education and on other areas where we look at how we can find a right balance. But in terms of promoting values, the efforts will continue, as I have described, both in school and outside of school. In school, we are talking about values in action; getting students to understand that there are other things that are important besides just excelling in the things that they are good at. They should also look at caring for others. They should realise that their success is not based on their own individual efforts alone, but comes together with other people supporting them. And therefore, it is important for them to give back to society. And so, we talked about values in action in schools. Helping our students to go out and do things for the community, to serve others. We are doing that beyond schools, as well: through the Kindness Movement, NVPC, providing many more platforms for Singaporeans to live out their values. I think that is the important part – besides just talking about that – providing opportunities for Singaporeans to actually practise and live out their values.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Improving Standards of Singapore Football","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"15 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether the Ministry has plans to ride on the success of Singapore's performance in the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup to further improve the standard of Singapore football; and (b) what are the plans to retain good national football players to play for Singapore clubs when they are sought after by regional football clubs with more lucrative terms.
The Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): The recent Suzuki Cup triumph can be attributed to the developmental system that the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has put in place since 2000, to identify and develop young talents with increased funding support from the Singapore Sports Council and sponsors, such as the Tote Board and Singapore Pools. The Singapore Sports Council is currently working with the FAS to conduct a holistic review of football development in Singapore to further improve the standard of Singapore football.
When the standard of Singapore players improves, it is only natural that they will be sought by other football clubs. The best way to retain our players is to make sure they have good development and growth opportunities in Singapore, such as playing in the Lions XII team in the Malaysian Super League, and for various S. League teams. Notwithstanding this, we recognise that
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professional players do sometimes relish the exposure they can gain from an overseas stint. If they play better as a result, they can still contribute to the national team when they are called up for international matches. Hence, we need to strike a balance between trying to keep all our players in Singapore and giving them the opportunity to play for regional and international football clubs.
Mdm Speaker: Mr Ang, we only have one minute left.
\tMr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong): Thank you, Mdm Speaker. As the Acting Minister has said, football is a good sport that can gel Singaporeans together, as what we have witnessed in the Suzuki Cup. How could we better engage the national players to promote the sport among the youths so that the youths can also aspire to be national players one day?
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Mr Ang has raised a very pertinent point. I have been talking to the FAS and encouraging them to get more of our national players to go out to schools to speak to students, engage students, to conduct soccer clinics so that we can, indeed, motivate and inspire more young students to take up soccer, to hold them up as role models that more young students would be inspired by what our Lions are doing. This is something important that we are keeping an eye on, and the FAS is, indeed, having plans to do that.
Mdm Speaker: Order. End of Question Time.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos 30-35, 38-42, 44-49, 52-53, 60-65, 67-79 and 81-82 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. Question Nos 36-37, 43, 50-51, 54-59, 66 and 80 have been postponed to the next available sitting of Parliament.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Fire Safety (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"[(proc text) \"to amend the Fire Safety Act (Chapter 109A of the 2000 Revised Edition) and to make a related amendment to the Civil Defence Act (Chapter 42 of the 2001 Revised Edition)\", (proc text)]
\tPage: 44
[(proc text) presented by the Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr S Iswaran); read the First time; to be read a Second time on the next available Sitting of Parliament on or after 1 April 2013, and to be printed. (proc text)]
[(proc text) \"to amend the Legal Aid and Advice Act (Chapter 160 of the 1996 Revised Edition)\", (proc text)]
[(proc text) presented by the Senior Minister of State for Law (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":"Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr S Iswaran): Mdm Speaker, may I first add my congratulations to you on your election as Speaker.
Mdm Speaker: Thank you.
Mr S Iswaran: I look forward to your firm and fair handling of the administration and affairs of this House.
Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Madam, we last amended the Computer Misuse Act in 2003 to strengthen Singapore's defence against cyberattacks. Over the past decade, we have witnessed tremendous technological change. Cyberspace has become an integral part of our daily lives, and is used extensively for the delivery of a wide range of public and private sector services. At the same time, our increasing dependence on cyberspace has brought about new risks and vulnerabilities. Hence, it is timely to review our legislative framework to ensure that it remains
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relevant and effective in protecting our economy and society against cyber threats.
In recent years, the number of cyberattacks across the world has risen sharply. Criminals, terrorists and state-sponsored groups have been exploiting cyberspace to their advantage. In 2010, McAfee uncovered an average of 55,000 new malicious software (or malware) threats every day. This figure is now 100,000 – double what it was just two years ago. A 2012 report by the World Economic Forum ranked cyberattacks among the top five global risks.
Critical Information Infrastructure, or CII, refers to systems which are necessary for the delivery of essential services to the public in various key sectors. These sectors include energy, water, finance and banking, Government, healthcare, infocomm, security and emergency services, and transportation. Cyberattacks often occur with little warning and have tremendous potential for contagion. They can disrupt daily lives and threaten our nation's security, economy, public health and safety. They can bring a country to a complete standstill. It is precisely because of this that CIIs are prime targets of cyberattacks.
Cyberattacks on CII pose a real and present danger to all countries. Widespread damage can easily result from a single piece of malicious software or the exploitation of one point of weakness. In 2007, Estonia encountered a series of cyberattacks which lasted three weeks and resulted in widespread damage to society and the economy. It crippled the country's government and banking services for many days, while users were unable to access the Internet across a wide range of functions. In the US, the reported number of such attacks has increased 20-fold within the last two years. According to a McAfee report in 2011, nearly two-thirds of critical infrastructure companies worldwide reported regular findings of malware designed to sabotage their systems. It is estimated that 24 hours of down time from a major cyberattack would cost a critical infrastructure enterprise, on average, more than US$6 million.
The technology and sophistication of saboteurs are also rapidly evolving. In July 2010, Stuxnet, a sophisticated form of malware, was discovered – reportedly responsible for infecting 45,000 industrial control systems worldwide. Many of these systems were integral to a country's critical infrastructure, such as energy, water and communication networks. Two years on, Stuxnet has been joined by other equally if not more sophisticated malware. One of them, known as Flame, has been described by some experts as being 20 times more powerful than any known cyber warfare programme, including
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Stuxnet. We can expect the potential for damage to be far more severe. To prevent a successful attack, we need a nimble and comprehensive response that can guard against a broad spectrum of attacks and threats.
Singapore is not immune to cyberattacks of this nature. We are a highly inter-connected nation. As of 2011, 85% of Singapore households had access to broadband at home, while 81% of businesses used the Internet. With cyberspace being essential to many aspects of our lives, we are vulnerable in many ways to any breaches. In fact, we, too, have been the target of cyberattacks in recent years. For example, in the lead-up to the APEC 2009 meetings held in Singapore, there were at least seven waves of malicious email attacks which targeted members of the APEC Organising Committee and APEC delegates from various countries. While these attacks did not target our CII, they are indicative of the potential for future attacks against other Singapore targets.
The cyber threats that we face today are sophisticated and malicious. Our legislative framework must keep pace with the nature of this evolving cyber threat. Section 15A of the Computer Misuse Act, or CMA, was introduced in 2003. It empowers the Minister for Home Affairs to authorise measures to prevent or counter cyber threats to our CII in the event of an outright cyberattack or where there is specific intelligence received of an imminent attack. These powers are no longer adequate, given the operating environment that I have described.
To make our CII more robust and resilient against cyber threats, my Ministry has reviewed section 15A of the CMA. The review was undertaken in consultation with CII operators and regulators. It also took into account legislative enhancements which other countries, such as the United States, Israel, Estonia, South Korea and Australia, have implemented or are considering.
The amendments to section 15A will strengthen the cybersecurity of our CII by enabling the Government to take more effective and timely measures to prevent, detect and counter cyberattacks that may threaten national security, essential services, defence or the foreign relations of Singapore. This approach is no different to how we deal with national security threats in the physical realm. For example, if there is credible intelligence of a potential terrorist threat to our aviation sector, we would immediately take pre-emptive steps to enhance security measures at our airport and carriers in response to the threat. Similarly, in cyberspace, we must take proactive and upstream action against a threat before it materialises to cause any harm. The proposed amendments will
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strengthen our ability to do so. It will enhance our ability to act against cyber threats, with safeguards to ensure that the enhanced powers are exercised appropriately.
Madam, let me now elaborate on the key amendments.
Clause 2 of the Bill amends the long title of the Bill to reflect the substance of the re-enacted section 15A. Clause 3 of the Bill amends the short title of the Act to \"Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act\". These amendments will more accurately reflect the scope of the Act, including its objective of securing Singapore against cyber threats that may endanger our national interests.
Clause 4 of the Bill repeals and re-enacts section 15A to enhance the powers to act against cyber threats and introduce corresponding safeguards.
Sub-section (1) of the new section 15A empowers the Minister to issue a certificate to authorise or direct a person or an entity to take measures or comply with requirements necessary to prevent, detect or counter a threat to the national security, essential services, defence or foreign relations of Singapore.
For example, a CII operator may be required to provide information relating to the design, configuration, operation and security of computers, computer programmes or computer services. This will help identify and address cyber threats and system vulnerabilities. A CII operator may also be required to report cybersecurity breaches to the Minister or an authorised public officer. This will provide situational awareness of cyber threats at the national level and help assessments on the need for further security measures. Before a certificate is issued by the Minister, CII stakeholders will be consulted on the implications, where practicable. The measures required under the certificate will be limited to what is necessary to safeguard national security, defence, foreign relations, or essential services.
I want to emphasise that it is also in the interests of a CII stakeholder to proactively invest in preventive cybersecurity measures. This is because a successful cyberattack could lead to significant financial loss and reputational damage for the CII stakeholder. Hence, as domain owners responsible for the security of their assets, CII stakeholders will generally be expected to bear the cost of these measures.
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Given the severity of the threat that cyberattacks can pose to the nation, the new sub-section (4) makes it an offence if a person fails to take any measure, or comply with the directions of the Minister, under section 15A of the Act. Similarly, non-compliance with the directions of a person who is acting pursuant to the certificate issued by the Minister under section 15A will also be an offence. It will also be an offence to obstruct a person from complying with the Minister's directions to him. These offences will be punishable with a fine not exceeding $50,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or both.
New sub-sections (6) and (7) confer various immunities for acts done in good faith pursuant to the Minister's certificate under section 15A of the Act, including any direction given pursuant to such a certificate. This is necessary to ensure that those who are acting pursuant to the certificate or direction can perform their functions without being constrained for fear of civil or criminal liabilities.
For example, if a malware is detected to be targeting a particular make and model of equipment used by our CII operators, the Minister may issue a certificate to the CII operators to direct that certain cybersecurity measures be taken. In the course of implementing these measures in good faith, if there is service degradation or disruption that results in the failure of the CII operators to meet their contractual Service Level Agreements with their customers, the CII operators can claim immunity in any legal proceedings against them by their customers.
Information that the Minister may direct CII operators to provide to aid in the prevention, detection and countering of cyber threats will generally be technical in nature. For example, information pertaining to network design architecture, firewall rules and software algorithms, this may be required to help with the early detection of an attempted cyberattack or an ongoing cyberattack.
A new sub-section (8) introduces safeguards to restrict the use and disclosure of information obtained under the Minister's certificate.
The information obtained is to be used or disclosed only for the purpose of preventing, detecting or countering the cyber threat. Otherwise, the written permission of the party from whom the information was obtained would be required before it can be used or disclosed. Information can also be divulged to
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a law enforcement authority if it reveals an offence.
In addition, disclosure or use will be permissible if there is a need to comply with a requirement of a court or a written law.
Contravention of the safeguards prescribed in sub-section (8) will be punishable with a fine not exceeding $10,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.
Lastly, the new sub-section (12) expands the definition of \"essential services\". Currently, it covers services directly related to communications infrastructure, banking and finance, public utilities, public transportation, or public key infrastructure, as well as emergency services like police, civil defence and medical services. For the purpose of this Act, the scope of \"essential services\" will be expanded to include services directly related to land transport infrastructure, aviation, shipping and health services.
Mdm Speaker, our cybersecurity capabilities must continue to adapt, grow and remain relevant in this fast changing cyber threat landscape.
This requires the close collaboration amongst the stakeholders. The proposed legislative amendments will provide the Government with greater ability to work with our stakeholders to take timely actions against cyber threats to our CII. These enhanced powers come with important safeguards to ensure that they are used in an effective and responsible manner to protect our national interests. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mdm Speaker, I rise to support the Bill. The new section 15A gives the Minister wider powers to take action once he is satisfied that it is necessary to prevent, detect or counter a cyber threat to Singapore. It also provides that the Government may require persons to provide information concerning such threats. Failure to comply with the Minister's directions will be made an offence.
The cumulative effect of the Bill is to give the Government greater teeth to deal with potential cyber threats. In particular, the Government is conferred
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wide discretion in the exercise of such powers and I can understand that approach. Cyber threats, obviously, cannot be dealt with like conventional armed or terrorist threats. Anticipation, detection and timeliness of response are particularly critical. urther, the intrusion or attack may be through privately managed systems. The Minister therefore requires the necessary tools to deal with these threats.
There are, however, three points that I would like to raise in relation to the Bill.
First, the Minister may invoke such powers not only in the prevention or the countering of threats to Singapore, but also in the detection of such threats. These powers may be invoked in the context that extends beyond our national security and defence concerns, such as to preserve foreign relations.
I accept that there are practical reasons for granting the Government such wide powers. As I have said, given the reliance of critical industries on computer systems and the sophistication of modern hacking techniques, it is vital that we cast a wider net to better protect our nation against cyber threats. However, the enormous power and wide discretion the Bill confers on the Government to affect measures and to obtain data from private companies and individuals will inevitably raise questions about whether those powers will always be properly used. Such power, while conferred in the national interest, should go hand in hand with increased accountability and appropriate checks and balances.
Thus, the legislative framework should provide for proper safeguards to prevent abuse or an over-reach of powers. It is unrealistic and would defeat the purpose of the Act for the Minister's decision to be reviewed at the time he exercises it. However, would it not be possible to institute periodic reviews by a separate panel to ensure that such powers have been properly exercised and information gathered properly used or archived and, in the appropriate cases, destroyed? These reviews may be held in camera to strike a balance between accountability and confidentiality. They will promote public confidence in the system.
The second point relates to the proposed section 15A(6). This sub-section confers criminal and civil immunity on anyone who in good faith implements any measure or acts according to directions he receives under the Act. And this gives rise to two issues:
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First, whether the threshold for immunity is set too low. Under the Act, all that is required is that the person acts in good faith. Should he not also be expected to act with some reasonable care?
Second, this provision may have the counter-intuitive effect of causing companies to be less proactive in implementing measures to detect or deter cyber threats, and only act when the Minister issues his directions so that they can enjoy their legal immunity. This is clearly not desirable. I accept that companies will likely want to act before their systems are attacked as their own commercial reputations will be at stake. However, they may be less inclined to do so if the threat does not prejudice them but another party. In any event, companies should be encouraged to take proactive measures. So, would the Minister, therefore, also consider having the power of granting immunity to companies which may have acted in advance of any directions he issues to deal with cyber threats? And this can be for deserving companies on a case-by-case basis, in addition to the blanket immunity which the Bill confers.
Finally, a matter for clarification. Could the Minister explain the relationship between section 15A sub-section (8) and sub-section (10)? Sub-section (8) states that information obtained from parties may be disclosed to the Police or any law enforcement agency, if the information discloses an offence. Presumably, that is to facilitate the investigation of and prosecution for that offence. However, sub-section (10) states that where an offence is disclosed, pursuant to the exercise of powers under the section, no information for that offence may be admitted as evidence in civil or criminal proceedings. If so, what is the referral to the Police for?
On the whole, I commend the Bill for enhancing Singapore's regime against cyber threats and cybercrime. As computer hacking techniques become increasingly sophisticated, we must protect ourselves from those who seek to exploit our dependence on computer systems. In these times, national security is not just about defending our physical borders. There is clearly much at stake here. At the same time, we must always remain aware of the potential for over-reaching and implementing the appropriate safeguards. Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mdm Speaker, the proposed amendments are timely and convey the toughening of the Government's stance against potential cyber threats which may have severe
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ramifications on Singapore's national interests and national security. In line with this broad objective, the renaming of the Act as the \"Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act\" is more than symbolic as it reflects a shift in focus from general computer offences to more targeted legislation directed at preventing and containing cyberattacks on our essential services, defence and even foreign relations. And, therefore, thank you, Mdm Speaker, for allowing me to join in this debate and to support this Bill.
In view of the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, the Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed to amend section 15A of the existing Act for effective and timely measures to be taken to make Singapore's Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) robust and resilient against cyberattacks. The emphasis here is on the pre-emptive nature of these measures, which empowers and allows the Minister to order a person or organisation to act against any cyberattack even before it has begun. This is in line with similar moves made by other countries with respect to their own cybersecurity legislation and, more broadly, reflects a much needed awareness and responsiveness on Singapore's part to the fast-changing developments in the cybersphere, as well as the legal best practices of other jurisdictions in regulating their cybersphere.
Such tightening of measures is pertinent in light of two major factors, and these two major factors reflect why I support the Bill. First, the fast-moving nature of the cyber world, and, two, the recent increase in cyberattacks. These demand more sophisticated protection. Legislative vigilance is crucial in order to tackle new potential computer abuses, such as the denial or interruption of computer services and unauthorised disclosure of access codes. This is compounded by the fact that cyberattacks worldwide have increased in frequency, speed and sophistication, which means that they are difficult to detect, and often occur without early warning. In Singapore, for example, about 1,000 cybercrime cases, including hacking, were reported under the same Act over the past five years. In order to meet such heightened demands, in terms of both volume and complexity, the amended Act takes a more sophisticated approach to provide for enhanced penalties proportionate to the different levels of potential and actual harm caused. Failure to act on the directions of the Minister, for example, will be made a criminal offence as it should be.
That said, Mdm Speaker, one concern is the pre-emptive nature of the powers accorded to the Minister, which would allow him to order telcos or banks to disclose how their computer networks are designed, or disclose reports of any attempted breach, in order to detect or counter a threat. This has, thus, far been justified by the need to thwart potentially crippling cyberattacks, and is part of the Government's larger efforts to counter the spread and
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sophistication of these attacks. Although the Government has acknowledged that the disclosure of such information may be sensitive and has, thus, put in place some form of legal safeguards to protect the use of such data, it might be beneficial and prudent for the Government, to explain to the public what threshold must be met or what factors will play in the mind of the Ministry of Home Affairs before the power to issue directions is exercised. Notwithstanding this clarification sought, Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill.
Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I welcome this Bill. Being a hyper-connected society, our national security is being redefined by cyberspace. The Internet was first developed to supplement the analogue communications among American soldiers and scientists, and trust was a very fundamental attribute in such a set-up. This enabled people who communicated with one another to trust others based on who they said they were. There was also trust that the information conveyed would be handled according to existing legal and social norms. Of course, those norms and the element of trust are now severely under threat.
Indeed, the Internet is under severe threat in three key areas: (1) piracy and intellectual property; (2) privacy; and (3) security. All three elements, in varying degrees, are given attention to in the proposed amendments, with security being the focal point of the Bill.
This Bill seeks to provide the authorities with pre-emptive powers to deal with a potential danger when there is intelligence that a cyberattack is imminent and could cripple critical infrastructure, such as public utilities, telecommunications, banking and transportation systems.
Mdm Speaker, the ready, convenient and affordable access to the Internet today has a trade-off. Users of the Internet are vulnerable to various kinds of cyberattacks. These range from online personal surveillance, hacking, corporate and governmental espionage, the hijacking of web traffic, to the remote manipulation of computer-controlled industrial, governmental and military processes. In short, the integrity of the Internet as a reliable, safe and open infrastructure is under threat. And we have to adapt to the changed environment as individuals and as a society.
Such cyberattacks, in essence, are about the control, distribution and safety of information. And information has been described as a strategic resource that
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is as valuable and influential today as capital, labour and land had been in the industrial age.
Mdm Speaker, cyber warfare, as well as cyberattacks, involves deception and sabotage and can be a strategic game changer as we become more dependent on the Internet for the purposes of work, leisure, education, as well as military operations. It is a non-traditional security threat that is quickly becoming more mainstream and common as cyberspace evolves into a new domain of conflict.
Much as we see it as a technical issue, cybersecurity is ultimately a security, economic and political challenge. Much as our laws have had a defensive stance, they must now evolve in tandem with the changing security threat so that they possess offensive capabilities as well. This is primarily in the pre-emptive powers that the Bill seeks to provide in the new proposed section 15A.
Mdm Speaker, would the Minister outline our nation's strategy in dealing with persistent and sophisticated cyberattacks? In particular, even as we focus on the pre-emptive strikes to deal with the security threat that the Internet poses, how will the proposed amendments make our system and our response to a real and present danger resilient?
By resilience, what I mean is how the various stakeholders ranging from the Government to the corporate sector are prepared and able to continue with their operations in a degraded environment, especially when we are unable to pre-empt or counter a cyberattack. Madam, the Bill is primarily concerned with active defence – detecting attacks before they take place. Is our critical infrastructure, our systemic response up to scratch where resilience is concerned?
Mdm Speaker, as I see it, the various stakeholders have different perspectives on cybersecurity and the nature of the risks that cyberattacks pose to their interests. This Bill is an important step in countering cyber threats but it does not strike me as being an attempt to elicit a coherent policy response.
To be sure, this is not the intent of the Bill but, perhaps, it could have gone further. I hope the Minister can discuss how the Government intends to ensure that the cyberspace within our jurisdiction does not suffer from a \"tragedy of the commons\" phenomenon in which stakeholders assume that someone – usually the Government in our context – is providing the necessary security and so reduce the need for other stakeholders to internalise those risks. This goes
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beyond business continuity plans; it is inherently about whether we can cope, as a society, with a sophisticated cyberattack and not be paralysed or thrown into a gridlock in various facets of our lives.
With our vast and growing infrastructure, cybersecurity is an area where there is a pressing need for better incentives and a \"whole-of-society\" approach should be pursued. Matters are compounded when there is invariably a sense of futility and despair over the size and complexity of the threat, particularly for companies. This, in turn, reduces the incentive to put investments and to cooperate in mutually beneficial ways.
Mdm Speaker, should our laws require companies and organisations to report incidents when their systems have been hacked and data stolen? Such \"breach laws\" can provide advance warning of further attacks, and also require people to be informed if the stolen data significantly affects them. This can also incentivise companies and organisations to spend more on cybersecurity and be innovative in countering such a threat. Developing defensive cyber capabilities cannot be the sole preserve of the Government.
Mdm Speaker, would the Home Affairs Ministry consider imposing greater penalties on persons who breach their duty to protect information obtained pursuant to those proposed powers? Sub-section 9 of the proposed section 15A provides for a penalty of a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to a jail term not exceeding 12 months or both. This strikes me as being relatively not so onerous a punishment considering that intellectual property, trade secrets and sensitive operational details of an organisation can potentially be involved. I am aware that the Minister has said that primarily technical details would be obtained but it is possible that non-technical details could also be required.
Furthermore, why not protect such information obtained under the Official Secrets Act since the information relates intimately to national security, essential services and Singapore's foreign relations? The transnational nature of cyber threats, often involving non-state actors as well, also means that there is a need to protect such information obtained. There must be complete confidence that the authorities will properly handle the information obtained, and that privacy, intellectual property, proprietary data, confidential information and the like are adequately protected.
Finally, would the Minister also provide an update on the National Cyber Security Centre? Will public education be a key remit of this security centre given that our cybersecurity is only as strong as our weakest link? Cyberattacks
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are increasingly common and we must not allow the Internet to be the Trojan horse. Mdm Speaker, on that note, I support the Bill.
Mr Desmond Lee (Jurong): Mdm Speaker, in October last year, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta urged the US Congress to pass a cybersecurity law. He said that hackers had infiltrated the control systems of US critical infrastructure operating chemical, electricity and water plants, and warned of more destructive attacks that could cause loss of life if successful.
As the Minister had articulated, Singapore is not immune to such risks, as much as we hope that they never materialise. As such, we need measures to protect the computer systems that run our key critical infrastructure against cyber threats. While I support the Bill, I still have a few queries for the Minister.
First query is on the existing power in section 15A of the Computer Misuse Act which already allows the Minister to authorise the taking of such measures as necessary to prevent or counter any threat to computer service. I would imagine that owners of critical infrastructure who care about their own commercial reputation or who understand the serious consequences that may flow from a successful attack would implement proportionate protective measures. Could we have a sense from the Minister why there is now a necessity to not only authorise but to compel them to comply with the security requirements? Have they been slow to do so, on their own accord, or have existing protective measures been assessed to be inadequate to counter the real threats out there?
Second query: the operation of many parts of critical infrastructure and systems are heavily dependent on infocomm technology, Internet connectivity and computer systems. This leverage on technology has permitted such infrastructure to take on unprecedented scale, sophistication and efficiency. The Achilles' heel, however, is their vulnerability to attack by hackers whether they be mischief makers, criminals, terrorists or even governments. Typically, states and governments respond by adding layers of stringent protective and detection measures. However, in the event that these measures fail, and parts of our system are effectively pushed back into the \"Stone Age\", do we have contingency measures to ensure that life goes on? In short, how operationally ready and prepared are we as a country in the event that critical systems fail or malfunction?
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Third query relates to cyberattacks which are a global phenomenon and often originate abroad. Close international cooperation is vital to complement domestic measures such as those envisioned under section 15A. Can the Ministry share what international or regional treaties or conventions Singapore has joined in order to combat cybercrime or cyber terrorism, and what is the state or extent the Minister can share of our operational cooperation with key international partners in this regard?
Fourth query: while I appreciate that the threats facing our critical infrastructure are varied and may come from many angles and take many forms, the power under the new section 15A does confer a very wide discretion on the Ministry of Home Affairs. This raises a number of related concerns.
First, how would the Ministry ensure that the privacy of ordinary individuals is not compromised inadvertently or otherwise, as part of surveillance and detection requirements?
Second, paragraphs (a) to (c) of sub-section (2) of this section envision that private individuals and corporations may be empowered to exercise extensive and intrusive powers of search and requisition of information that ordinarily are reserved for public as well as law enforcement officers. Their exercise of these powers is protected by a limited civil and criminal immunity. How will the Ministry ensure that these powers are exercised judiciously, proportionately and responsibly, while addressing concerns about privacy and fears about potential abuses?
Third, imposing excessive compliance costs that are disproportionate to the risks may have a chilling effect on our attractiveness as a business environment and raise the entry barrier to certain industries for local SMEs. How would the Ministry ensure that it strikes the appropriate balance – between, on the one hand, having robust and effective safeguards, while on the other hand ensuring that it remains commercially viable to run those businesses? There needs to be an open conversation therefore between Government, business or business federations on the evolving nature of cyber risks and what a proportionate level of security ought to be.
Fourth, if infrastructure operators believe that their safeguards are adequate, or feel that the obligations imposed are onerous or excessive, is there any avenue for them to appeal against an order under section 15A or to have the contents of the order varied? There is currently no such mechanism in the Bill. In short, Madam, what is the framework and what are the principles that
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will guide the Ministry of Home Affairs in the exercise of this very broad power?
Fifth query: can I seek clarity on a matter of interpretation of the scope of power envisioned in section 15A(2)(a)? The overarching purpose of the provision in sub-section (1) is wide, which is, to \"prevent, detect, and counter threats to national security, essential services, defence or foreign relations\". But sub-section (2)(a) empowers or requires specified persons to exercise powers set out in sections 39 and 40 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which refer to the accessing of computers and encrypted computer data for the purposes of investigating arrestable offences. Two questions: first, does this mean that there must be an arrestable offence disclosed before sub-section (2)(a) can be invoked? Second and more fundamentally, does this mean that private individuals or enterprises will be given powers to investigate offences? What are the safeguards?
The sixth and final query is not specifically about prevention of cyberattacks, but about the policy on computer misuse in general and this follows the recent spate of intemperate online postings on Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere that potentially touch on racial or religious sentiments; in short, cybersecurity for the ordinary man and for society. For serious cases, we have provisions in the Sedition Act, Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, Penal Code offences, and so on, which are investigated by the Police. But for less serious cases which though offensive, but are not necessarily made with criminal intent, would the Government consider setting up a tribunal to deal with and handle such cases, instead of requiring the Police to act at first instance? This tribunal could have powers to order take-down, press for apologies to be made, impose community service orders, order persons concerned to attend counselling or mediation, and so on. This could later be expanded to deal with less serious cases of cyberbullying or harassment, and bring cybersecurity to the ordinary man. Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Mdm Speaker, we live in an uncertain age. There exist real and growing threats to our interests in cyberspace and these threats are increased with the advent of the \"Internet economy\". Online fraud and tax frauds by organised criminals are now on the rise. Cyberattacks, worldwide, have increased in speed, frequency and sophistication.
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In the UK, in the 2012 Information Security Breaches Survey, it was found that 93% of large corporations and 76% of small businesses have had some form of cybersecurity breach in the past one year. The costs to these companies can indeed be large and significant.
Thus, debating this Bill is timely and necessary since the last review was done in 2003. The amendments are also in line with similar moves by other developed countries. I have five points to raise:
One, pertaining to section 15A, I am glad that the definition of \"essential services\" has been outlined and expanded in this Amendment to include a broader range of other health services, civil defence and also emergency services. I assume it would cover our new National Electronic Health Records which contains a tremendous amount of confidential and intimate information.
Two, I support the stiffer penalties in this Amendment quoted as they do, I hope, act as a form of deterrence.
Three, the Government cannot do all these alone. Industry players need to collaborate and join forces as well to safeguard the most valuable assets in our Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) which includes personal data, online services and, of course, our intellectual property. Together, the potential to handle and address cyber threats which can undermine our growth and prosperity will be stronger and more resilient. Madam, on the measures to strengthen the cybersecurity of CII, is there a deadline set for the implementation? Earlier today in the House, we heard the Minister for Communications and Information, in response to Question No 13, state that a review by the Government is ongoing and that there were lapses in the maintenance. This is quite worrying to me and I actually asked how long this review is going to take.
Four, will the MHA be stepping up on its training and skills acquisition in these and related areas in order to be able to counteract new tactics and strategies by cybercriminals today? In that same context, whilst planning and strategising, we must not forget the risk of cyber insider attacks. There must be some allowances made in order for companies or Ministries to weed these out. We need to ring-fence our security model for the anticipated increase in sharing of services that is bound to occur, including a common and standardised approach to assurance, single sign-on system for employee authentication, security monitoring, with effective policing of compliance and enhanced
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network resilience.
Finally, Madam, considering the scope of the Internet today, we certainly cannot just focus our efforts in Singapore alone. What about international and cross-border cooperation? What are we doing in this area, bearing in mind the global nature these threats can take? In conclusion, I support the amendment Bill.
Mdm Speaker: Order. I propose to take the break now. I suspend this Sitting and will take the Chair again at 4.05 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 3.45 pm until 4.05 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.05 pm
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mr S Iswaran: Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank all the Members who have spoken and for their general support of the Bill and its policy intent. I would endeavour to address the key points that Members have raised specifically pertaining to the enhanced powers and safeguards in the Bill, as well as some broader issues such as other measures to enhance capabilities and collaboration in tackling cyber threats.
First, let me address Mr Desmond Lee's point on the need for the enhanced powers. Let me reiterate that the cyber threats that we face today are extremely malicious, with tremendous potential to cause widespread damage within a very short span of time. An example is the high-profile \"July 2009 Cyber Attacks\", which targeted government and financial services websites in South Korea. In an emergency measure to restore the networks that were disabled by the attacks, some 30,000 virus-infected computers were denied Internet access by Korean Internet operators, on the instruction of the Korean Communications Commission. The economic costs associated with the disruption of services
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were significant.
A more recent example is the series of aggressive denial-of-service attacks on financial institutions in the US, believed to be perpetrated by a group of Iranian hackers. The attacks targeted at least 10 major banks. Their websites were flooded with massive log-in attempts which disrupted remote banking services and affected many customers. The first wave started in September last year and the attacks are still ongoing today.
We need robust measures, given the prevalence and increasingly potent nature of cyber threats. This requires all parties concerned to collaborate – the Government as well as industry players and other stakeholders within the cyberspace ecosystem.
We have been working with the various industry regulators to reach out to the CII owners and operators to harden their systems against cyber threats. They have generally been cooperative. It is about working together in a more upstream, proactive manner. Indeed, the CII owners and regulators recognise that it is in their interests to put in place a certain level of security measures to meet their business needs so as to ensure the sustainability of services to their customers and also to protect themselves from potential financial losses arising from an attack.
However, beyond the direct business impact on the individual entity, a successful attack on a CII can have broader implications. These are the externalities which, if not accounted for, could lead to a \"tragedy of the commons\" as Asst Prof Eugene Tan had talked about. A cyberattack can have knock-on effects, disrupt key sectors of our economy and threaten our national security, including the lives of individuals. The legislative powers in this Bill will ensure that we have the ability to promptly step up the protection of our CII to protect our national interests before damage is caused. At the same time, CII operators will not be encumbered by fear of liability as long as they have acted in good faith when complying with the Minister's directions to counter the cyber threat.
Mr Desmond Lee and Mr Christopher de Souza spoke about the scope of the powers. Specifically, Mr Lee asked whether the powers in the Bill are too broad and Mr de Souza asked about the situations under which the enhanced powers may be invoked, and if the threshold levels or triggers for exercising such powers could be specified.
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Let me respond. The powers in the Bill may be exercised to direct that measures be taken when there is an assessed threat that may endanger our national security. An example is when there is credible intelligence that a new malware targeting CII has been developed, or that malware has been used against another country. If we assess the current defences of the CII to be inadequate, a certificate may be issued to direct CII operators to step up their cybersecurity measures. So that is the general approach. However, given the rapidly changing nature and complexity of the threat we are facing, it is neither possible nor practical to specify in detail the precise triggers for the activation of powers in the legislation.
The proposed powers are needed to enable anticipatory actions to be taken against such evolving threats in a timely manner. So, in many instances, the level of specificity may be difficult to afford at the time of assessment. Ultimately, the decision to exercise the powers will have to be a judgement call by the Minister, informed by the assessment of the relevant Government agencies. I want to reassure the Members of the House that it is a decision that will be made only after a considered and thorough assessment of the threat and vulnerabilities. This approach is not unique to Singapore. Laws in other countries, such as South Korea and Estonia, are similarly crafted to give the enforcement agencies sufficient flexibility and also the authority to take effective actions against threats to national security, including cyber threats.
Mr Desmond Lee, Mr Hri Kumar and Asst Prof Eugene Tan also spoke on the need for safeguards to prevent abuse of powers. This is an important point. Mr Hri Kumar suggested setting up a panel to conduct periodic reviews after the Minister's decision has been taken to ensure that such powers have been properly exercised.
Mdm Speaker, let me assure the House that the powers will be used judiciously. The assessment of whether there is a threat to the national security, essential services, defence and foreign relations of Singapore is a decision to be made by the Executive. There are adequate safeguards to ensure the reasonable and justified exercise of these powers. Section 15A circumscribes the use of the powers to situations where there is a likely threat to the national security, essential services, defence or foreign relations of Singapore. So, the Minister is constrained by the language of section 15A when acting. His discretion is not unfettered.
In addition, there is a robust process of procedural safeguards to ensure that these powers are properly exercised. A consultation process will be
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undertaken with the affected CII stakeholders, where practicable. The CII stakeholders will generally be given the opportunity to make representation at three stages.
The first is to the sector regulator and the Government security authority. The second is to a high-level National Committee, comprising several Permanent Secretaries. And finally, to the Minister for Home Affairs. This process will help to surface potential concerns of the CII stakeholders and any impediments that they may face in carrying out the required measures. Remedies can then be considered to address these concerns. This three-stage representation will be applied and adapted based on the prevailing threat assessment and circumstances. Furthermore, after the Minister has issued the certificate, aggrieved parties can still have recourse to judicial review.
I would also like to reassure the Members that the Government will undertake periodic internal reviews on the actions taken so that the measures can be calibrated or recalibrated as needed in future. We do not intend to have an external review panel, as suggested by Mr Hri Kumar, given the sensitivity and nature of the content.
Mr Desmond Lee asked what cybersecurity measures and requirements are being contemplated and whether these could be used to intrude into an individual's privacy. Madam, let me assure the House that the powers under the Bill are not intended to intrude into privacy. The measures and requirements are mainly technical, operational or procedural in nature. For example, CII operators may be required to implement network perimeter defence devices, such as firewalls, or to perform regular vulnerability scanning of their systems to identify potential loopholes. These measures are non-intrusive with respect to personal privacy.
Likewise, any information required by the Minister under the certificate to deal with cyber threats will generally be technical and not personal in nature. For example, to aid in the detection of cyber threats, the Minister may request information such as network logs on the machine transactional requests, system event logs and system audit logs containing failed login attempts. Only anonymised data would be required. The consultation process with the CII stakeholders prior to the issuance of the certificate will help to ensure that any information required is justified and not unduly onerous.
Mr Hri Kumar, Mr Desmond Lee and Asst Prof Eugene Tan spoke on the need for proper management and use of the information obtained. This is yet
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another important point. Mr Desmond Lee also asked whether CII operators may be required to disclose certain confidential or proprietary information and how such information will be protected.
The need for Government to access proprietary information, such as source codes for security vetting or assurance purposes, is not unique to Singapore. Indeed, it is also required in the US and UK, for example. Safeguards have been included in the Bill to prohibit information obtained under the certificate from being used or disclosed other than for the purpose of preventing, detecting or countering a cyber threat, or for the other purposes specified in the Bill.
Asst Prof Eugene Tan asked if the penalties for contravention of the safeguards relating to use and disclosure of information in the Bill are too low given the sensitive nature of the information. The penalties are consistent with those provided for in similar provisions in other legislation, such as section 28 of the Electronic Transactions Act, and section 27B of the Economic Development Board Act. In addition, the Official Secrets Act may also be applicable depending on the circumstances of the case, to address the point raised by Asst Prof Eugene Tan.
To supplement these safeguards, the Government will also consider entering into contractual non-disclosure agreements with vendors to address their specific needs and concerns. An example is the Microsoft's Government Security Program (GSP) which facilitates access by governments worldwide to Microsoft's product source code and other technical information. Under the GSP Code agreement – the Singapore Government has signed with Microsoft – there are non-disclosure provisions for information shared by Microsoft that is commercially sensitive.
We will work closely with the CII stakeholders to define the security obligations upfront, and ensure that the need for sharing of information is balanced with sufficient safeguards to protect their commercial interests.
Mr Hri Kumar asked about the relationship between sub-sections (8) and (10) of the amended section 15A. In particular, he sought clarification on the purpose of furnishing information obtained under section 15A to the Police. If information obtained under section 15A reveals an offence, sub-section (8) allows that information to be given to the Police to commence investigations. Sub-section (10) does not allow that information to be admitted as evidence in court. This sub-section is intended to protect the identity of the informer and the circumstances in which the powers were invoked. Disclosure of such
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information may hinder or jeopardise efforts to neutralise the threat. However, from the information given to the Police, pursuant to sub-section (8), the Police will gather new evidence using its investigative powers. And this new evidence will be admissible in court whereas the initial information given to the Police will not be admissible. I hope that clarifies.
Asst Prof Eugene Tan highlighted that \"breach laws\" which mandate the reporting of cybersecurity incidents, such as hacking, could potentially enhance our national sentinel by providing advance warning of further attacks. Companies and organisations can already report cyber incidents voluntarily to the Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCert). However, making reporting of cybersecurity incidents mandatory, at this juncture, for all companies could incur significant compliance cost. A balanced and targeted approach is needed. We need to strike a balance between national interest and commercial interest, so as to ensure that the cost imposed on the private sector is reasonable. This is why the current mandate requires only CII stakeholders to report cybersecurity breaches.
Mr Desmond Lee sought clarifications on the application of sub-section 2(a), which provides for the powers under sections 39 and 40 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) to be exercised. The circumstances for these powers to be exercised are specified under sub-section (1) of section 15A of the CMA, that is, there must be a threat to the national security, essential services, defence or foreign relations of Singapore. Under such situations, the Minister may direct CII operators to perform these actions so as to prevent, detect or counter the cyber threat. There is no need for there to be an offence, arrestable or not, before the powers can be invoked. The powers are also not meant to be exercised for the investigation of offences.
The reference to sections 39 and 40 of CPC relates only to the powers stated in these provisions. And with the amendments, the references to the specific sub-sections of sections 39 and 40 of the CPC will provide a clearer indication of the relevant powers within the legislation. For example, the Minister will be able to require the CII operators to access, inspect and check the operation of the computer. This power is found in section 39(1)(a) of the CPC.
To encourage CII operators to take measures proactively, Mr Hri Kumar suggested empowering the Minister to grant immunity for measures taken in advance of any directives issued by the Minister. The immunity provisions are intended to enable CII operators to take the necessary actions against a threat to our security, without being constrained by fear of liabilities arising from
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contracts or other laws. Should CII operators of their own volition identify measures which they think are necessary and are concerned that the measures could subject them to liabilities, they should put forth the recommendation to the relevant sector regulator and Government security authority for consideration.
As Mr Hri Kumar pointed out, such actions taken in view of broader national interests may have implications beyond the individual CII operator. Trade-offs will have to be made at the national level, especially for measures over and above what the CII operators intend to undertake of their own accord. If the Minister is satisfied that a proposed action is necessary and there is a need to render immunity to the CII operators, a certificate can and will be issued immediately.
Mr Hri Kumar also asked whether the threshold for immunity is set too low, and whether an entity should be expected to act with some reasonable standard of care. Depending on the facts of the case, if a person acts unreasonably, then it may be said that he had not acted in good faith. Put another way, requiring a person to act in good faith does not preclude the need for him to act with reasonable care. The immunity provision in the Bill is consistent with similar provisions in other legislations, such as sections 39 and 40 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Mr Desmond Lee asked about the compliance cost to CII operators arising from the measures or requirements. As domain owners responsible for the security and business continuity of their assets, the operators would generally be expected to bear the cost of the measures. We have put in place safeguards and processes to ensure that the measures will be reasonable and limited to what is necessary to safeguard our national security defence, foreign relations or essential services. Nevertheless, should a CII operator feel that there is a strong justification for Government funding, the operator may work through its sector regulator to explore leveraging on existing sources of funds.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked whether there is a deadline set for the implementation of the measures. The amended powers will take effect as soon as possible after the Bill has been passed by Parliament and the President's assent has been received. There is no single fixed timeline for CII operators to comply with measures directed by the Minister. This will vary, depending on the nature of the threat, the assessment of the CII system's risks and vulnerabilities, the type of measures required and the readiness of each sector.
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CII operators will be consulted accordingly.
I will now move on to the other suggestions by Members to strengthen cybersecurity.
Asst Prof Eugene Tan asked about our national strategy in dealing with cybersecurity threats and requested an update on the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). First, let me assure the House that the Government adopts a holistic approach towards strengthening the cybersecurity of the nation. The proposed amendment to section 15A is one of the key pillars supporting these larger national initiatives. The Critical Information Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) Programme initiated in 2009 aims to better address the cyber security needs of our CII. It provides for engagement platforms and regular cyber-exercises to test and subsequently enhance our cyber responsiveness. We will also be training IT professionals to be cyber defenders and be equipped with the relevant skill sets to complement national incident responders.
Let me also clarify that the NCSC is an operational centre and public education is not one of its core functions. It serves to enhance early detection and acts as a nodal point for coordinating incidents response. Phase 1 of the NCSC, which focuses on cyber monitoring of CII for the security and emergency services sector, has already been completed, and the project is on schedule.
I agree with Asst Prof Tan that public education is an important component of our overall strategy. This is an area that the Government is also firmly committed to. One such public education initiative is Governmentware, an annual IT security seminar run by the Singapore Infocomm Technology Security Authority (SITSA).
Apart from that, the Cyber Security Awareness Alliance, formed in 2008, leverages on the diverse strengths and resources of its members from across the public, private and people sectors, to promote the adoption of good cybersecurity practices among individuals and businesses.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef spoke on the importance of training and skills acquisition in cybersecurity. The Government works closely with the industry in these areas to strengthen our national capacity to deal with cyber threats.
Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) have been signed between various Government agencies and the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to collaborate in many areas, from the development of courseware on IT security modules to
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undertaking joint research projects.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef highlighted cyber risks posed by insiders. The enhanced powers will cover cyber threats to national security in general and apply regardless of whether the threats originate externally or internally. We must also recognise that insider threats cannot be fully eliminated using technical means alone. Essential service operators must, therefore, adopt strong technical measures and strict internal checks and balances to minimise their exposure to such risks. And, where applicable, the Government will work with CII stakeholders to address such risks.
Unlike traditional crime, cyber threats can be perpetrated very easily across geographical boundaries and jurisdictions in the physical world. As Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef and Mr Desmond Lee have rightly pointed out, it is crucial for the international community to cooperate in tackling these threats.
Our security and law enforcement agencies have formed strong partnerships with their counterparts in other countries to strengthen capabilities in this area. These partnerships enable the sharing of early cyber threat intelligence and cyber defence initiatives, and thereby enhance our ability to stay ahead of the evolving threats.
The INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation slated to open in Singapore next year will also facilitate cyber research and innovation, and provide cybersecurity training and operational support for law enforcement agencies around the world.
Finally, let me address other issues pertaining to cyberspace.
Offensive communications in the cyberspace can vary widely from insensitive remarks made on the spur of the moment to serious forms of hate speech. Mr Desmond Lee suggested setting up a tribunal to deal with less serious cases of online posting that inflame racial or religious sentiments, as well as minor cases of cyber bullying and harassment.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently working with the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Communications and Information to review our legislative framework and the remedies available to victims of cyber harassment. I want to thank Mr Lee for his suggestions, which we will take into consideration as part
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of the review.
Mdm Speaker, the threats in cyberspace have grown significantly over the years. They have also become more varied and sophisticated. Of particular concern are cyber threats against CII. This Bill will greatly enhance our ability to take timely and effective measures to prevent, detect and counter these threats.
I want to assure the House that the enhanced powers, which come with safeguards, will be used judiciously. The powers will be invoked to avert threats that may endanger our national security, essential services and the defence or foreign relations of Singapore. The Minister will issue a certificate only after careful consideration of the implications, and after being satisfied that the measures are practical and reasonable.
These measures will make our CII more robust and resilient to the growing cyber threats that we face. I urge Members of the House to give your full support to the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill.
[(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 S Iswaran]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2012\" will be changed to \"2013\", as indicated in the Order Paper.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 5 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Payment Systems (Oversight) (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mdm Speaker, I am speaking on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
The Payment Systems (Oversight) Act (PSOA) was first introduced in June 2006 for the oversight of payment systems and stored value facilities (SVFs) in Singapore. It provides the industry with regulatory clarity through a consistent and transparent framework. The PSOA also allows MAS to adopt a risk-focused approach to designate particular payment systems which are important for Singapore's financial stability and public confidence. These designated payment systems are subject to closer regulatory oversight. Examples of designated payment systems include the Singapore Dollar Cheque Clearing and the Inter-bank GIRO systems.
Madam, this is the first amendment to the PSOA since 2006. These amendments seek to enhance MAS' oversight over the designated payment systems. The amendments will also align Singapore's payment regulations with leading international standards, as set out in the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures established by the Bank for International Settlements and the International Organisation of Securities Commissions.
MAS had consulted the industry on the proposed amendments last year. It considered all the views and feedback received, and took them into account in the amendments.
Mdm Speaker, let me now elaborate on the amendments to the Act.
First, section 3 of the Bill exempts MAS from Parts V and VI of the PSOA. MAS is the operator, settlement institution and regulator of the new MAS Electronic Payment and Book-Entry System (MEPS+). MEPS+ is designated under the PSOA as it is a systemically important payment system used for real-time settlement of large-value financial transactions between financial institutions in Singapore. It is of systemic importance because it means that a serious disruption in the operations of the payment system could trigger or
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transmit widespread disruption to Singapore's financial system and could even impact the economy as a whole.
As Parts V and VI of the PSOA are designed for commercial operators, this amendment will exclude Parts V and VI of the PSOA from applying to MAS. To ensure oversight of MEPS+ which MAS operates, MAS has formalised an internal arrangement where the oversight and operations functions are managed separately and have different reporting lines.
This arrangement is not unique to Singapore. Other central banks, such as the Bank of England and the Reserve Bank of Australia, that operate payment systems also rely on internal arrangements to ensure effective oversight over their own payment systems. A non-statutory oversight arrangement for central bank-managed payment systems is also consistent with international standards, as set out in the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures. So I would like to assure this House that MAS will continue to hold itself to similar standards as those expected of a designated payment system under the PSOA through its internal oversight arrangement. The arrangement ensures that payment system oversight, internal audit and risk management assessments of MEPS+ are all conducted by departments separate from the MEPS+ operations department, each with direct reporting lines to senior management and Board.
Second, the amended section 27A of the Bill deals with confidentiality of reports as issued by MAS. This amendment will introduce a new section that provides an express provision for safeguarding the confidentiality of the information contained in the reports issued by MAS to the operator or settlement institution of a designated payment system.
This provision will align the PSOA with best practice internationally and allow MAS to enforce the confidentiality of its issued reports on recipients of these reports, such as an external auditor or consultant.
Finally, the new section 28 deals with the exercise of emergency powers by the MAS. This amendment will allow MAS to immediately exercise emergency powers in relation to an operator or settlement institution of a designated payment system during an emergency. An emergency situation can arise when the operator suddenly becomes insolvent, is unable to carry out its functions, or continues to operate the system in a manner that is detrimental to its participants.
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Under the existing emergency power structure, if the operator or settlement institution has failed to comply with a MAS-issued direction, a minimum period of time must pass before MAS can intervene. With this amendment, MAS will be able to take immediate regulatory action during a crisis as necessary to minimise any adverse impact on the participants of the designated payment system or the transmission of the crisis to the rest of the financial sector.
Mdm Speaker, let me conclude. This Bill seeks to strengthen MAS' oversight over designated payment systems and align MAS' regulatory framework for payment systems with international standards. MAS will continue to review its regulations and policies to ensure that they remain effective in preserving the safety, efficiency and the confidence of the public in Singapore's payment systems. Madam, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Mdm Speaker, the payment infrastructure forms a critical part of our financial system, trade and economy. Thus, it is important that it is kept as safe as possible, transparent, stable and efficient for consumers. This Bill is necessary to streamline and enhance the financial oversight framework in Singapore.
I have a few clarifications to make. Firstly, on section 3, as MAS is both the operator and regulator in this case, and it is also not appropriate for MAS to take action and impose legal penalties upon itself, can I just ask who then regulates MAS?
Secondly, on the stored value facilities, the threshold is set at $30 million. This is not a small amount. Can I please enquire how this value was decided upon and arrived at?
Thirdly, with the Act, MAS will have to oversee all institutions involved in payment systems in Singapore. MAS will thus have to step up its supervisory framework. Will this mean that MAS needs to train and have more qualified staff? Do we project that we will have sufficient numbers of trained personnel in this industry?
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Fourthly, how about foreign exchange transactions and cross-border transactions? Will these be affected in any way by this amendment Bill?
Finally, Madam, in this day and age, there are indeed more payment services done over the Internet and mobile networks. These certainly pose added challenges to the oversight processes. Will this require MAS to develop or utilise some \"security-specific\" instruments?
Madam, considering the current climate we are operating in, all aspects of security, that is, the legal system security, financial system security, as well as technical and organisational systems security, are all fundamentals which need to be covered and protected according to internationally accepted standards. Pending all these clarifications, I support the Bill, Madam.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef for her support of the Bill and the very pertinent issues that she has raised. Allow me to address each of the key points in turn.
First, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the exempting of MAS from the Payment Systems (Oversight) (Amendment) Bill. As I mentioned earlier, central banks in most countries operate and oversee their large-value interbank payment systems. For example, central banks in the UK and Australia have both operational and oversight responsibilities for their large-value payment systems. I would like to assure Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef and Members of the House that MAS' internal governance framework to maintain effective oversight of MEPS+ is in line with the best practices of these foreign central banks and also with leading international standards.
To elaborate on MAS' internal governance framework, I would say that there is a clear separation between the payment systems oversight and the MEPS+ operations function. The oversight and operations departments function independently and have separate management reporting lines to different senior management and Board committees. The Oversight Department ensures that MEPS+ has adequate risk management and controls for its system design, operations, processes and rules to ensure the safety and efficiency of the system. MAS will also have disclosure response of its system vis-a-vis leading international standards, and it will pose these disclosures on its website. So, there will be clear accountability on how MAS operates and
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regulates the system, compared to leading international standards.
Second, on the question of the threshold for stored-value facilities, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked why the threshold was set at $30 million. This threshold was, in fact, set when the Act came into force in 2006, so we are not changing the threshold with this Bill. At the time when the threshold was set, it was really to determine the appropriate balance between allowing for innovation in the industry and ensuring sufficient regulatory oversight. The $30 million threshold captures widely used stored-value facilities (SVFs) that have high volume and value of transactions. This threshold presently captures the nationwide multi-purpose SVFs in operation, namely the NETS cash card and the EZ-Link card. The stored-value facilities that are not captured are mostly small-scale ones which focus on niche areas, such as SVFs for the pre-paying of consumption of food and beverage, the use of fitness facilities or the purchase of electronic products.
Third, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about increased supervisory works or requirements by the MAS. Again, let me clarify that there is no change in the extent of MAS' supervisory framework with this Bill. The amendments are administrative covering the issues of inspection report confidentiality, expedited emergency powers and the exclusion of MAS from the regulation of designated payment systems, as I have elaborated earlier. MAS will continue to adopt a risk-based approach to designated payment systems that are important for Singapore's financial stability and public confidence.
Fourth, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about foreign exchange transactions and cross-border transactions and whether these would be affected in any way. The amendments proposed in the Bill do not affect the nature and flow of foreign exchange and cross-border transactions in Singapore's payment systems. So, there would not be any impact.
Finally, Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef has rightly noted a very important issue that more payment systems are performed over online systems, such as Internet banking and mobile phones. MAS expects financial institutions to implement strong and robust security controls over their online banking systems. It has also actively engaged the industry to enhance IT security for payment services over the Internet and mobile networks. In addition, MAS issues technology risk management guidelines and security circulars to financial institutions, like the Internet and technology risk management guidelines and circular on two-factor authentication for Internet banking.
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Mdm Speaker, to conclude, the amendments to this Bill seek to enhance MAS' oversight over the designated payment systems and to align Singapore's payment regulations with leading international standards. These amendments will ultimately aid to improve the safety, efficiency and the confidence of the public in Singapore's payment systems.
[(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 Lawrence Wong]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2012\" will be changed to \"2013\", as indicated in the Order Paper.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 4 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill 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":"Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Minister of State for Finance (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
The Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill 2013 comprises seven amendments. One amendment gives legislative effect to a Budget 2012 initiative, while the remaining six amendments arose from the periodic review of the stamp duties
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regime to improve stamp duty administration and legal clarity.
In the Budget 2012 Statement, the Minister for Finance announced enhancements to the income tax and stamp duty concessions under the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Scheme. These tax concessions will apply for M&As completed between 17 February 2012 and 31 March 2015 to facilitate corporate restructuring, especially amongst small and medium enterprises. In line with these enhancements, clause 2 of the Bill provides for stamp duty relief to be extended to acquisitions carried out through multiple tiers of entities, and not just through one tier of wholly-owned subsidiaries.
I will now explain the remaining six amendments in the Bill. First, clause 3 of the Bill will update the Act to clarify that stamp duty is not chargeable on the conveyance of any type of property other than immovable properties such as land, stocks or shares and interest thereof.
Secondly, we will amend the Act to clarify that property that may be the subject of Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD) is to be described by its zoning or its permitted purpose under the Planning Act. The amendment will also provide that the consideration used for computing Seller's Stamp Duty is to be reduced by an amount attributable to the part of the property that may be used for a non-prescribed purpose. This is so that the SSD is levied only on the sale of the part of property used for a prescribed purpose which is liable for the SSD. Clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill provide for this change.
Thirdly, clauses 6, 8, 9 and 10 of the Bill make technical amendments to various provisions of the Act as a result of the decommissioning of franking machines and adhesive and impressed stamps, after the implementation of electronic-stamping.
Fourthly, clause 7 of the Bill amends section 40 of the Act to extend the period for filing an appeal to the High Court against a decision of the Commissioner of Stamp Duties on a notice of objection from 21 days to 30 days. This is to align the appeal deadline with those of other tax types such as Income Tax and Goods and Services Tax.
Madam, the final two legislative changes are technical amendments. Clause 13 will enable the Minister to make subsidiary legislation to modify the application of specific sections of the Act when amendments are made to the First or Third Schedule. Clause 11 will allow \"Rules\" to be made to amend past remission instruments which were termed as \"Orders\". Mdm Speaker, I beg to
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move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill.
Property prices have been on the incline as a result of the sharp increase in investment demand for private residential properties, in particular in light of Singapore's relative economic stability and our reputation for having open markets that facilitate investment flow. However, this increase in foreign investment demand, coupled with a possible mismatch on the property supply front, has caused much concern among local residents and potential first time purchasers of homes. These worries are not unfounded, with recent statistics showing that home prices are 16% higher than the recent peak in the second quarter of 2008, with foreign purchases accounting for 19% of all private residential property purchases in the second half of 2011.
In response, the Government introduced the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) in December 2011, which requires foreigners and corporate entities to pay an unprecedented extra 10% stamp duty when buying a residential property in Singapore. This bid to curb excessive investment by foreign buyers and thus cool investment demand has been welcomed by some quarters, but the Government must continue to monitor the situation so as to promote a stable and sustainable residential property market in the long run. Notably, these cooling measures will affect not just foreign investors but, to a lesser degree, local speculators such as permanent residents purchasing a second property. This slew of measures was followed by a menu of measures aimed to cool the property market on Friday just last week.
However, I would like to add that in revising and analysing Singapore's property policies, the Government should also have regard to existing policy frameworks that have been implemented in other countries facing similar supply crunches and booms in demand. Singapore has always prided herself on her pragmatism and resourcefulness in the face of physical limitations, and there is much that can be tapped on with regard to other countries' best practices on the property front. There are two models I would like to raise in Parliament today for our consideration – the Hong Kong model and the Australian one (the latter is the one that I prefer) – both of which are potential
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reference points as we continue to refine and develop our property policies and stamp duty framework to meet the objectives of sustainable pricing in the property market.
It has been reported that the Hong Kong government has, in a bid to cool down its property market, introduced a 15% tax on foreign buyers while simultaneously raising stamp duties for short-term speculators as property prices overtake the record highs last seen in 1997. This, it is said, is to curb short-term speculation and stamp duties will be imposed on a sliding scale, with the Government subsequently announcing that it would ban foreigners from buying some new properties coming onto the market, making them exclusive to local buyers. That is the Hong Kong model.
But the second model, which I am particularly interested in, is the Australian model, and I raise for the sake of this House. In Australia, all acquisitions of residential real estate by foreign interests require prior foreign investment approval. As for foreign citizens living overseas, the Foreign Investment Review Board will grant approval to buy investment property as long as the property is brand new. However, these citizens and temporary residents are not eligible for first home buyer concessions, which are only available to Australian citizens and permanent residents. The Australian model essentially allows foreigners to buy new developments while restricting their subsequent sale to Australian residents at a price they can reasonably afford. This double-prevention mechanism both tempers investment demand and restricts the resale incentive, thereby providing a nuanced and sophisticated alternative to the Hong Kong model. We should carefully study this Australian model. So, essentially, what the Australian model does is to prevent foreigners from buying anything except new development in Australia and then holds on to that and, eventually if they want to sell, they can sell only to an Australian citizen. And this allows the local population to set a correct demand pricing mechanism which I feel is a good option for Singapore, that the Singapore local domestic market or the Singaporeans set the barometer for demand and a sustainable pricing mechanism for our residential property market in Singapore.
According to Minister Khaw Boon Wan in last July's review of the ABSD scheme, the combination of cooling measures introduced and the ramp up in both public and private housing supply has produced encouraging results. The proportion of private residential properties bought by foreigners and companies has fallen sharply, with a similar decrease reflected in private home prices and short-term property speculation. These measures have altogether helped home buyers to purchase their own residential property and it is certainly a step in the right direction. One group which I have in mind when
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making the speech is genuine first-time Singaporean home buyers.
As we continue to debate the proposed amendments to the Stamp Duties Act, it is important for us to constantly take a step back and have in mind the overarching objective of maintaining a sustainable residential property market, where investment demand is moderated and local ownership of residential property promoted. The positive effect of these cooling measures on reining in property prices should be considered in conjunction with measures to ramp up supply to meet such demand. Above all, the Government should remain vigilant in monitoring the property market and adjusting its policies in step with changes in the market and economy. The bottomline is property market prices must be sustainable. With that, I support the Bill.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): I stand in support of the Bill. I have three short points to make. On the first point, let me first declare that it concerns me as I am the Member of Parliament for the Geylang Serai area where there are many religious institutions and also premises being used as religious institutions.
It is stated that the SSD is levied only on the sale of the part of a property used for a \"prescribed purpose\". What happens in the event when a residential premise or part of it is being used as a place of worship which is strictly, not a prescribed use. What will the transaction be like in this case and can the SSD then be reduced? Also clause 4 (a) which amends section 22A(8) states that the amendment allows the consideration to be reduced by an amount considered as attributable to any part of the specified immovable property which may be used under the Masterplan for a non-prescribed purpose.
Second point on section 15A, pertaining to the acquiring companies and its acquiring subsidiaries, will it be managed differently if they were local or Singapore companies versus if they were foreign or non-local companies?
And my final point, Madam, also on section 22A, when zoning under the Masterplan is altered, the SSD will also be affected accordingly. How soon will the change be effected? Will it be immediate or will the owners or the acquiring companies be given some lead time to acknowledge this change and do the needful?
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Mrs Josephine Teo: Mdm Speaker, first let me thank Mr Christopher de Souza and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef for supporting the Bill. Let me address the questions that have been raised by Assoc Prof Fatimah and then I will turn to Mr de Souza's points.
Assoc Prof Fatimah has asked what happens in the event when a residential premise or part of it is being used as a place of worship, which is strictly not a \"prescribed use\" and whether the SSD can be reduced under such circumstances. Madam, in general, public religious worship is not a permitted use on residential premises. However, if the authorities were to grant permanent permission for public religious worship to be a permitted use in a premise within a residential development, SSD will not be imposed on the sale of that part of the premise for which religious use has been permitted. I hope I did not confuse anyone.
Assoc Prof Fatimah has also mentioned that under section 22 (A) of the Stamp Duties Act, when the zoning under the Master Plan is altered, the Stamp Duty can also be affected. She asked how soon such changes will be affected and whether owners or purchasers of properties will be given sufficient time to react to the change in zoning.
Let me give an example to address this question. If the zoning of the land on which a property is situated is re-zoned from commercial to residential use, and the whole property is subsequently disposed of, the effective date of purchase for purposes of computing the holding period for the SSD will be the effective date of the new zoning. URA would publish a notice of the pending change in zoning in the local newspapers as well as exhibit the Masterplan Amendment plan at the URA at the URA centre for four weeks as the SSD is only triggered on the sale of the property. The owner of the property should take into account all the SSD implications before making any decisions to sell the property.
On the Budget 2012 enhancements to stamp duty reliefs for qualifying M&As, Assoc Prof Fatimah has asked if the relief is managed differently when the acquiring companies and acquiring subsidiaries are local companies, compared to if they were foreign companies.
The M&A incentives seek to help Singapore-based companies which carry on substantive business operations in Singapore to grow by acquisition. As such, there are conditions to ensure that the acquisition originates from a Singapore-based company which carries on substantive business operations in
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Singapore. Hence, the acquiring company has to be incorporated and tax resident in Singapore. Also, where the acquiring company belongs to a corporate group, its ultimate holding company must also be incorporated and tax resident in Singapore, but the acquiring subsidiaries can be foreign or non-local companies. I hope that addresses Assoc Prof Fatimah's questions. Let me now turn to Mr de Souza's point.
Firstly, I would like to thank him for sharing his perspectives on the property market, which all of us pay close attention to. Although this specific set of amendments do not relate to the property market, I think his views are still very relevant. He has raised the example of Australia and the restrictions on foreign property purchases in that country. I thought I would just also share with Members of the House that in Singapore, there are also restrictions placed on property purchases by foreigners. For example, the entire HDB market is completely out-of-bounds to foreigners and when you think about it also, earlier, when Minister for National Development talked about the Executive Condominiums. For the first 10 years of an Executive Condominium's existence, it cannot be sold to foreigners as well. So there are restrictions of our own in Singapore. As he has pointed out, the Government announced only last Friday the comprehensive package of measures to ensure a stable and sustainable market and as Deputy Prime Minister Tharman had indicated, these are temporary measures designed to cool the property market which will be reviewed and at an appropriate time.
During that time, references to practices in other countries are certainly useful but ultimately Singapore has to evolve in such policies that are relevant to our needs and meet our requirements. So I am sure the points that the Member has raised will be considered and at the right time given a response. On that note, Madam, I thank both Members again.
[(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. – [Mrs Josephine Teo]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
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[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2012\" will be changed to \"2013\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 14 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill 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":"Singapore Accountancy Commission Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Minister of State for Finance (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Madam, let me first set out the context for the proposed Bill to establish the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC).
Singapore's reputation as a trusted business hub is underpinned by our emphasis on strong corporate governance and a robust regulatory framework. In part, this has been due to the quality of our accountancy professionals in preparing and upholding financial reporting standards and best practices.
The accountancy sector is also experiencing strong growth. In the 10 years between 2000 and 2010, operating receipts grew at a compounded annual growth rate of about 6% while export of services increased twelve-fold .
Accountancy related firms alone employed more than 11,000 workers, with the majority being professional staff. This is comparable to the medical and legal sectors which have about 5,000 and 10,000 professionals respectively. Many accountancy trained professionals also serve in key roles like chief financial officers and finance executives within companies. In short, the accountancy sector is an important contributor to Singapore's vibrant business landscape.
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In 2008, recognising its potential for future growth, MOF convened the Committee to Develop the Accountancy Sector (CDAS), to undertake a holistic review of the sector. Members of the business community, audit firms and professional accountancy bodies were extensively consulted as part of this review. In its final report submitted in 2010, CDAS unveiled an exciting vision of Singapore as a leading global accountancy hub.
One of the key recommendations in the CDAS report was to set up the SAC, to lead the transformation. Significantly, the establishment of the SAC will put the accountancy profession on a similar footing as the legal, medical, architectural and engineering professions in Singapore which are championed by their respective statutory bodies.
One important consideration in the set-up of the SAC is how it would interact with the professional bodies. In advanced jurisdictions such as the UK and Australia, the professional bodies actively seek to uplift the standing of the sector and quality of their members, which is also the case in Singapore. Given the merits of a private-public partnership approach, the SAC will not be set up as a membership body to avoid duplication with existing professional bodies. Instead, it will act as an umbrella body pulling together the resources and coordinating the efforts of relevant stakeholders such as the regulators, professional bodies and audit firms. The establishment of the SAC is set out in Parts I to VI of the SAC Bill.
Let me say something about Chartered Accountants in Singapore. As part of its review, CDAS also noted that many leading markets such as Australia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States have their own distinct accountancy professional qualifications which are recognised for their rigour and international portability. Although we already have high-quality accountancy training in our universities, CDAS recommended that it was critical for Singapore to develop our own high-quality and rigorous post-university Singapore Qualification Programme (SQP) if we aspired to be a leading accountancy hub.
A candidate who successfully completes the SQP will be eligible to register himself as a Chartered Accountant of Singapore. The introduction of the SQP and the Chartered Accountant designation provides an opportunity to build up the international stature of our accountancy professionals and will open up significant new opportunities for them.
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The use of the Chartered Accountant designation will be protected under the SAC Act to ensure that we uphold its quality and international standing. The relevant provisions are set out in Part VII of the Bill.
In line with the partnership approach I outlined earlier, we will appoint the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS), as a Designated Entity to oversee the registration of a Chartered Accountant on behalf of the SAC. ICPAS has a long and established history in our accountancy sector. It is also the largest professional body in Singapore with about 25,000 members.
In addition to completing the SQP, we will require a Chartered Accountant to also be a member of the Designated Entity and to satisfy the professional conduct expected of a Chartered Accountant before registering him.
Therefore, as a Designated Entity, ICPAS has the important responsibility of ensuring that Chartered Accountants meet the highest standards of integrity, professional ethics and competence expected of them. ICPAS will thus be required to take necessary disciplinary actions against its member if he has contravened any code of conduct, standards or ethics.
The success of the Singapore QP hinges on the international recognition and standing of the Chartered Accountant designation. ICPAS therefore has a very critical role to play, working with the SAC.
As we take bold steps to transform the accountancy sector, particularly with the introduction of a new professional designation, we ought to recognise the concerns of stakeholders who will be impacted by the changes, and to manage the transition carefully.
Let me share with Members our intentions for two particular groups of stakeholders. The first group comprises existing ICPAS members who are designated as Certified Public Accountants (CPA) of Singapore. We fully recognise that many of our CPAs are respected professionals with years of industry experience. Therefore, the transitional arrangements should continue to allow them to enjoy their current standing. The second group are students who are either registered to commence or are currently in the midst of taking accountancy degrees at our local universities. These students had chosen the accountancy course based on their knowledge of the current accountancy sector landscape and should not be disadvantaged by the forthcoming changes.
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A special committee to address transitional arrangements was formed by the Pro-Tem SAC in September last year and has been in intense discussion since then. The details of the transitional arrangements will be released when deliberations are complete. To allow sufficient time for the finalisation and smooth implementation of the transitional arrangements, the Bill provides that the Minister can within a period of two years, prescribe provisions such as the registration of existing CPA Singapore holders as Chartered Accountants.
Our aim is to ensure clarity and provide sufficient time for affected persons to make the transition to the Chartered Accountant designation. We are actively engaging key industry players and professional bodies, as well as faculty members and accountancy students of the local universities on their views.
The establishment of the SAC, the introduction of the Singapore QP and Chartered Accountant designation herald a new chapter for the accountancy sector.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pro-Tem SAC, chaired by Mr Michael Lim, which has been working tirelessly over the last two years to put in place the building blocks for the SAC and the Singapore QP. Professional bodies, in particular ICPAS, have also demonstrated strong commitment and support which are very much appreciated. When it is formally established, SAC will continue the work of the Pro-Tem SAC and strengthen collaboration with professional bodies. Its immediate priorities will be to ensure that the Singapore QP gets off to a good start and that adequate transitional arrangements are put in place.
Madam, in conclusion, I should highlight that the setting up of the SAC is an important milestone in the transformation of our accountancy sector, but the road ahead is still quite long. We will need to work hard and stay focused to ensure the rigour of the Singapore QP and build up the professional standing of Chartered Accountants. Only then can we secure Mutual Recognition Agreements for our accountants with other international jurisdictions which is crucial to their international mobility. While ambitious, I believe that we can achieve this goal together if we have the support of all stakeholders. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
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Mr R Dhinakaran (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill. At the outset, I would like to declare that I am an accountant and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS). I am also the Vice-President of ICPAS, but I stand here to speak in my own personal capacity. Madam, I would like to make a request to hand over a handout to all Members for some clarification.
Mdm Speaker: Proceed, please. [Copies of handout distributed to hon Members.]
Mr R Dhinakaran: This Bill has generally positive implications for an important sector of our economy.
Developing Singapore's Accountancy Sector. The Singapore accountancy sector plays a substantial role in the growth and development of the Singapore Economy. Firstly, it provides access to professional accountancy services and talents needed by the different sectors of the economy.
Besides catering to domestic demand, the accountancy sector itself is also experiencing significant growth opportunities on the exports of its professional services to the region as it has shown double-digit growth on a compounded annual growth rate basis on its exports of professional services to the region since 2000.
Against this backdrop, this Bill is timely as it seeks to establish the Singapore Accountancy Commission, which will mark an important milestone and start a new chapter in the development of the Accountancy sector in Singapore, and our effort to transform Singapore into a leading global Accountancy Hub for the Asia Pacific by 2020.
The establishment of the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC) will lend weight and add impetus critical to the development of the accountancy sector in Singapore and the transformation of Singapore into a leading global accountancy hub.
More significantly, its establishment clearly reflects the Government's strong support of and firm commitment to follow up on the recommendations
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of the Committee to Develop the Accountancy Sector (CDAS).
The final report of this Committee, which the Minister had established in December 2008 to conduct a holistic review of the Singapore accountancy sector and profession, with the aim to position Singapore as a leading international centre for accountancy services and professionals, was formally accepted by the Minister in May 2010.
Under its third strategic thrust of establishing strong infrastructure and institutions for the accountancy sector, the Committee recommended the establishment of a Singapore Accountancy Commission.
According to the Report, this strategic thrust \"is a call for concerted action from all the relevant stakeholders who can, and should, make a difference in turning the Singapore accountancy vision into a reality\".
Global role for ICPAS. One of these relevant stakeholders is the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS). In promoting the accountancy sector, this Bill, also creates an opportunity for the Singapore Accountancy Commission to work with ICPAS to achieve that objective and at the same time allow the latter to increase its own global profile.
As stipulated by this Bill, the SAC will now do many of the functions that ICPAS currently does. For instance, one of the functions of the SAC should be to develop, provide for, administer, facilitate or collaborate on the development, provision or administration, of programmes, qualifications, certifications, specialisations or continuing professional development relating to the accountancy sector and its related fields in Singapore.
At present, ICPAS administers the professional qualification of the accountancy sector here and accords the CPA Singapore designation. The Bill also introduces a new designation, the Chartered Accountant of Singapore.
Thus, the Bill will now allow the SAC to own the Chartered Accountant of Singapore Qualification, and migrate all current CPA members to this new qualification. In doing so, the SAC will become the owners of this designation and qualification of all ICPAS members and then fulfil some of the functions that ICPAS currently does in terms of the professional qualification of the accountancy profession here, except for membership registration. SAC will however appoint ICPAS only as an administrator for the SAC-owned Singapore
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Qualification Programme (SQP).
However, I feel that the CDAS Report actually envisioned a more complementary role between SAC and ICPAS, with the SAC actually maintaining more of a supervisory, regulatory function. For example, recommendation 10 of the Report states that the SAC should be given \"formal oversight responsibilities over the administration of\" the Singapore branded professional accountancy qualification and the necessary accreditation processes.
I doubt that the recommendations by the Committee called for the SAC to take complete ownership of the qualification and the SQP.
Take the third strategic thrust of the Report mentioned earlier which calls for concerted action from all relevant stakeholders who can, and should, make a difference in turning the Singapore accountancy vision into a reality. Besides calling for the establishment of the Singapore Accountancy Council, the recommendation also proposed for the transformation of ICPAS into a professional accountancy body with a global membership, outlook and standing.
This recommendation was expanded later in the report to entail two broad strategic areas – firstly, to review ICPAS' Constitution to ensure its relevance and alignment with ICPAS' mission as the national professional accounting body and that the ensuing governance and leadership structure and system are consistent with that of a professional accountancy body with a global membership, outlook and standing; and secondly, to review its infrastructure to ensure that they support the vision of the ICPAS becoming a professional accountancy body with a global membership, outlook and standing.
I can assure you that ICPAS has seen to both recommendations, to do a thorough review of its Constitution, introduce a new governance and leadership structure, as well as take steps to expand its infrastructure and fine-tune its processes to ensure that it is able to effectively play the role envisioned in the CDAS report.
I feel that ICPAS has the necessary capabilities to own and administer the SQP by itself and has taken steps to ensure that it can play this role effectively to aid in the overall development of the accountancy sector here.
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So, the SAC should allow ICPAS to play this role, while it maintains broader and strategic oversight of the sector, including the SQP, as envisioned by the CDAS report. The widely held argument may be that in accountancy, like its other professional sector counterparts – as mentioned by the Minister just now, law, architecture and medicine – it is important to standardise the professional qualifications and accreditation processes under a centralised national body. However, there are inherent differences between the accountancy sector and these other professional sectors, which reduce its need to come under a blanket regulatory body.
To illustrate, the accountancy profession can be divided into broad categories – first, professional accountants in business; and second, public accountants who require licences from ACRA to practise as auditors. Of the more than 25,000 members of ICPAS, about 1,000 are holding ACRA licences to be public accountants and/or auditors. Some other 6,000 of our members are working in audit firms as employees and so they do not need any licences.
The remaining 70% of the accountants are engaged as professional accountants in business and commerce. Hence, with only about 1,000 licensed public accountants, ACRA is sufficient to provide a regulatory role and there is no need to create a new structure to provide oversight of the entire profession because 70% of the professional accountants in Singapore who are engaged in business and commerce, and the remaining 6,000 professional accountants employed in audit firms are subject to the ICPAS membership rules and regulations and code of discipline, etc.
More certainty, I have been told by many members of the ICPAS that they hoped that this Bill would seek to enshrine the mutual relationship between the SAC and ICPAS and in doing so, giving them more certainty that ICPAS will continue to play a leading and meaningful role in the accountancy sector here in Singapore. Some of this concern stems from the perception that in the future, ICPAS may have to compete for this function with other organisations or institutes that may be introduced here later.
Yes, the Bill stipulates ICPAS currently as a designated entity to fulfil this role and that should bring some relief to ICPAS and its members on their future. But under Schedule III, it is stated as only a designated entity and not the designated entity, which allows for more such entities to be introduced in the future. This creates uncertainty and anxiety among the members of ICPAS, who are also the bedrock of the very sector that this Bill is aimed at growing. I would like to seek confirmation that the intentions are to appoint only one designated
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entity, that is, ICPAS.
Madam, throughout the world, the major global accountancy bodies have ownership of the professional accounting qualifications and designations in their respective countries. Members can see this in the table that has been circulated for reference. This Bill will, however, give ownership of the new qualification programme SQP and the designation \"Chartered Accountant\" to SAC, instead of the national accounting body ICPAS.
This Bill should instead build on the good work that has been done by ICPAS over the years. This year, ICPAS will celebrate its 50th Anniversary and throughout this time, it has worked hard to build its own network and credibility among its global counterparts and for its members as well. If the SAC is going to own the SQP, what does that do to the international standing of ICPAS if the SAC is initiating Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) negotiations on its own with international counterparts? This will undermine the efforts of ICPAS to transform itself as a global professional body.
In fact, the MRA negotiations should be left to ICPAS as the professional membership body to handle – with approval from SAC of course – and not have the SAC getting involved in the process as this is not the right step and not keeping in practice with any accountancy professional body worldwide.
The functions of the SAC which are listed in clause 6 include a number of areas currently undertaken by ICPAS, such as to develop and administer programmes, qualifications, certifications, specialisation, and so on, all relating to the accountancy sector and related fields. It will also promote, develop and improve competencies, expertise and professional standards as well as conduct research and development activities in the accountancy sector and related fields.
These are some of the things already done by ICPAS and so there is a duplication and wastage of resources for the SAC to begin to do them.
Complementary approach. But I acknowledge that the SAC should still play an important role in the development of the accountancy sector here and therefore I would like to clarify that I am not dismissing its significance or relevance. But instead of micro-managing the qualification and its process, in which ICPAS has the total capability, the SAC should focus on the promotion and development of the accountancy sector, similar to that done by Government agencies like SPRING Singapore, EDB or IE Singapore that strive to promote growth clusters and industry development here. Traditionally,
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Singapore Government agencies play the role of a regulator or an enabler or facilitator of a particular industry or industry clusters. Therefore, the SAC should be a regulator for the SQP and an enabler to grow the accountancy sector.
The Pro-Tem SAC has already finalised the SQP by engaging a UK-based professional accountancy body and it is working out the administrative details of various processes leading to grandfathering of ICPAS members, admission criteria of students, examinations, practical experience requirements, other transitional arrangements and accreditation of training organisations (ATOs). Now that all of that are almost ready, the entire SQP should be passed on to ICPAS to own and manage as per the administrative services contract, as ICPAS already has the expertise, experience and capabilities of doing so. Further, my proposal will really avoid any potential conflict that may arise between SAC and ICPAS in designing a Model for Revenue and Cost sharing in handling the New SQP as the ownership and administration will then be in the hands of a single entity, that is, ICPAS. However, the SAC should have the oversight responsibility to see that ICPAS continues to adhere to the guidelines given by SAC.
If Singapore is to have a sizeable portion of the Asia-Pacific accountancy services market, the fastest growing globally, estimated to reach US$38.3 billion by the end of 2013, then I think the SAC should take a macro view and to focus on the bigger picture of growing the accountancy sector here as an enabler and delegating the entire SQP matters, that is, Singapore Quality Programme and designation matters to ICPAS while maintaining oversight responsibilities as a regulator.
The SAC can still maintain oversight of this process through multiple ways without directly intervening in the running of the SQP. For instance, the SAC can have representation on the ICPAS board, to have an oversight of the process, or the SAC can subject ICPAS to term reviews of the running of the SQP and address any concerns that may exist. That seems like a more efficient way of addressing any concerns there may be over the administration of the qualification programme in this sector.
Madam, the report of the Committee stated that as Singapore aspires to be a leading global accountancy hub for the Asia Pacific region —
Mdm Speaker: Mr Dhinakaran, you have only one minute, Sir.
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Mr R Dhinakaran: Yes, thank you. It should seek to double the sector's existing GDP contribution from the current level of 0.4% to 1% over the next 10 years and as a member of the profession, I am confident that this is achievable. On the whole, I support the Bill, Mdm Speaker.
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir): The hon Speaker of Parliament, Madam, at this juncture, I declare my interest as a Council Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS) and that I am also a practising accountant.
Madam, I support this Bill which will establish the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC), in principle, to support the development and growth of and streamline the accountancy sector in Singapore.
Whilst I am in support of this proposed Bill, I would like to take this opportunity to seek some clarifications from the hon Minister, with regard to the transitional provisions that will be set in place, in the establishment of the SAC.
There is no doubt that the proposed Bill will have implications on not just the next generation of qualified professional accountants in Singapore, but also to existing ICPAS members. If I may but highlight a few:
One, the Bill proposes that a person can be registered as a \"Chartered Accountant of Singapore\" or \"C.A. (Singapore)\" if he/she has,
(a) completed a professional qualification programme that the SAC specifies;
(b) become an ICPAS member;
(c) satisfied all the requirements relating to the C.A. (Singapore) specified in the ICPAS rules; and
(d) any other requirements as may be prescribed by the SAC, that is, clause 26.
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Two, the Bill also proposes, in clause 42, that the Minister be given the power to deem the registration of a certified public accountant under the existing scheme and legislation, as the registration of a chartered accountant.
Madam, ICPAS is a national accountancy body with a membership base of 25,000. In view of safeguarding the interest of its members, ICPAS seeks to re-affirm the principles behind the transitional provisions.
Firstly, it would also like to confirm that existing members and prospective members, such as the current accounting graduates of local universities and the prospective graduates would not be worse off with respect to clause 42.
In particular, members and prospective members will wish to know if they will be automatically recognised as a chartered accountant, that is, Chartered Accountant (Singapore) having attained CPA Singapore designation, or whether they would need to satisfy any additional conditions or requirements.
Secondly, it would like to ascertain if there will be a window of opportunity for those who matriculate before June 2013, to assimilate into the process and what that window will be.
Thirdly, reasonable notice should be given for ICPAS Professional Examinations to cease enrolment and for existing ICPAS Professional Examinations candidates to complete their examinations and make the transition to the designation of \"Chartered Accountant of Singapore\".
Fourthly, that transitional provisions would be put in place for accountancy students who have graduated from the local universities in or before 2016.
Fifthly, that transitional provisions would be put in place for NSmen who have got a place in local universities in 2011 and 2012 but will enter the universities after their NS and therefore graduate later.
Finally, that transitional provisions would be put in place for those who left the profession but would now like to re-join.
Moving on, Madam, the proposed Bill is silent on whether, going forward, the Commission envisages that there would only be one recognised designation in Singapore, that is, Chartered Accountant (Singapore) or whether a number of designations will continue to be offered in parallel. An example of
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the latter are the existing designations and qualifications that are offered at present by ICPAS.
It is my humble view that having a single designation in Singapore will unify this small but very significant professional membership body. It will also streamline and allow all qualified professional accountants in Singapore to practise and to compete on the same platform.
Members within a professional body must remain cohesive and united.
With the phasing out of the current CPA Singapore and the introduction of the new Chartered Accountant of Singapore designation, it is important for transitional provisions to be transparent and fair at all times, and reasonable notice to be given to all concerned parties.
ICPAS members have made and continue to make big strides across various fields and industries in Singapore. They have contributed to Singapore's economic success. Many are well-established in their respective careers, be it as experienced finance and accounting professionals, partners in accounting services firms, CFOs or even CEOs. These efforts must be recognised and should be taken into account when determining the transitional provisions that will impact upon the professional body as a whole. With the above, I humbly seek the hon Minister's affirmation of my understanding and reading of this Bill. Madam, I support the Bill.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mdm Speaker, I thank both Mr Dhinakaran and Mr Sitoh Yih Pin for their support of the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC) Bill and for expressing confidence in the Committee to Develop the Accountancy Sector (CDAS)'s vision. In particular, Mr Dhinakaran spoke passionately and it is not often in a Bill that a Member's speech is actually longer than the Minister's.
Before I respond to the specific concerns, I would like to reiterate two key points made earlier. First, to avoid duplication, the SAC will not be a membership body and, second, the SAC will act as an umbrella body pooling together the resources and coordinating the efforts of various stakeholders, including professional bodies like ICPAS.
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Madam, let me now respond specifically to Members' concerns.
Mr Dhinakaran voiced concerns over ICPAS' role after the SAC is established. As I have explained earlier, ICPAS will have a critical role to play as a Designated Entity. ICPAS will be responsible for registering and renewing the registration of Chartered Accountants and will be the professional body holding membership of the Chartered Accountants. ICPAS is entrusted this important role in recognition of its good efforts to transform itself and to serve its members better. These roles involve frequent and close interactions with the accountants which the SAC had made a conscious decision to involve ICPAS in.
As is the case, for accountancy professional bodies in other leading jurisdictions, ICPAS will also be responsible for the professional competence, standards and ethics of their chartered accountant members. This is a heavy responsibility as the success of the Singapore Qualification Programme (SQP) hinges on the international standing of our Chartered Accountants.
In these above roles, I see ICPAS having the opportunity to add much more value beyond administration. I certainly hope that ICPAS shares that perspective. I should add that I fully support the ambitions of ICPAS to play a more prominent global role and I am very encouraged by the steps taken by ICPAS recently to strengthen itself.
Mr Dhinakaran asked if ICPAS will be the only Designated Entity. We do not have plans to appoint another Designated Entity, although the Bill has been drafted to give the Government this flexibility. The fact that the Government has named ICPAS as the Designated Entity in the SAC Bill reflects our desire and commitment to work with ICPAS on this national initiative. The Government values ICPAS' views as an important stakeholder in the sector. MOF and the Pro-Tem SAC have involved ICPAS in many of the discussions. For example, ICPAS was represented on the CDAS and has been represented on the Pro-Tem SAC and its various key committees and work groups. And this has been the case since the Pro-Tem SAC was formed in 2010. ICPAS also actively participated in the working groups responsible for the design of the SQP, including the academic framework, curriculum and learning materials.
Mr Dhinakaran shared that professional bodies in other countries own the professional accounting qualifications and designations. This is indeed the case where the professional bodies had moved ahead of the government to build up their own professional accountancy qualifications. However, in the United States and Hong Kong, the conferment of their respective professional
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designations is governed by legislative instruments, similar to the proposed regime in Singapore. Although both approaches can work, the benefit of our Government-led effort is that it sends a very clear signal of commitment. This is also a point which Mr Dhinakaran acknowledged in his speech.
Madam, at this stage of the Singapore Qualification Programme development, it is probably less important who owns it and more important to ensure that the qualification earns the trust and confidence of the industry, both in and outside of Singapore. In this regard, the Singapore Qualification Programme is off to a good start. Already, more than 40 organisations have expressed interest to become Accredited Training Organisations (ATOs) to provide on-the-job training for their own employees as part of the SQP practical experience requirement.
The SAC, as developer and guardian of this SQP, is entrusted to protect and preserve the integrity and reputation of the Chartered Accountant designation. So, although we refer to the SAC as being the owner, I think, in substance, the SAC really thinks of itself more as a developer and guardian of the Singapore QP. This role does not duplicate and indeed complements those of ICPAS which I had reiterated earlier. For the Singapore QP to succeed, both the SAC and ICPAS have to execute their roles well, and I would urge both organisations to focus efforts on the arduous tasks ahead.
Mr Dhinakaran said that the SAC should not be initiating Mutual Recognition Agreements or MRA negotiations on its own with international counterparts. For the benefit of Members, let me explain why MRAs are important. An audit professional is able to sign off the audit opinion in a jurisdiction outside of Singapore only if he or she is registered as a public accountant in that country. In most countries, one of the criteria for registration is that the individual must be a member of the local professional body, which can be achieved if an MRA exists. Although MRAs are normally entered into between professional accountancy bodies, MRAs in the United States are negotiated by the International Qualifications Appraisal Board (IQAB) which represents the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) comprising the 55 state boards of accountancy and the AICPA, the professional accountancy body in the United States. This recognises the important roles played by both the statutory and professional bodies.
The Singapore approach, where the SAC and ICPAS will jointly negotiate MRAs, is thus similar to that of the United States, because we envision both the SAC and the ICPAS, both the statutory and professional bodies, to play
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important and complementary roles. I hope Mr Dhinakaran will contribute to strengthening the partnership between both organisations.
Madam, let me turn to Mr Sitoh's comments. He has suggested that there be only one Singapore-branded professional accountancy designation, given our small market and size of profession. I agree with him and confirm the intention to only have the Chartered Accountant of Singapore designation. This will allow us to build a strong and internationally recognised brand and enhance our ability to secure MRAs with other major leading accountancy hubs.
Mr Sitoh had asked about the principles behind the transitional provisions. As he has rightly pointed out, existing CPA Singapore holders have contributed much to our economic success.
The Pro-Tem SAC has therefore, formed a dedicated Singapore QP Transitional Panel to recommend appropriate transitional arrangements. The panel is chaired by Mr Yeoh Oon Jin, who is the Executive Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the Big Four accountancy firms. Besides being a respected industry leader, Mr Yeoh is also an ICPAS council member and will certainly have insights into the concerns of existing CPAs. So, the very useful inputs that Mr Sitoh had highlighted pertaining to students and those who are already enrolled in CPA courses are very relevant and will have to be addressed by Mr Yeoh's committee.
While the transitional arrangements are still being deliberated, I should share that the preliminary thinking is that existing CPA holders will not have to go through the Singapore QP to be registered as Chartered Accountants of Singapore. This means that their practice in Singapore will be unaffected. However, when it comes to mutual recognition by other jurisdictions, a Singapore QP qualification may well be needed. Existing CPAs may then find it advantageous to achieve the Singapore QP qualification. It is for each of them to decide how valuable the network of MRAs is and whether to invest time and effort to attain the QP qualification. Together with ICPAS, SAC will make every effort to facilitate CPAs in their decision making and to acquire the Singapore QP qualifications if they so desire.
Madam, once again, I thank Members for their thoughtful comments and support of the Bill.
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[(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. – [Mrs Josephine Teo]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2012\" will be changed to \"2013\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 44 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The First to Third Schedules inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill 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":"Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) (Amendment No 2) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Lim Hng Kiang): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
The Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2012 comprises legislative amendments for a key income tax change announced in the 2012 Budget Statement as well as other amendments for improving tax administration arising from the regular review of our tax incentive regime.
Page: 99
Let me draw Members' attention to the two key tax changes contained in the Bill.
The first change is to replace the Integrated Industrial Capital Allowance scheme with an Integrated Investment Allowance scheme. The Integrated Industrial Capital Allowance (IICA) scheme was introduced in 2003 in recognition that many companies site their operations across geographical boundaries. The IICA scheme allows a Singapore-based company, which carries out an approved project, to claim capital allowance for qualifying equipment that it leases to a wholly-owned subsidiary outside Singapore, provided that the equipment is used solely in connection with the Singapore business.
The Integrated Investment Allowance (IIA) scheme was introduced in Budget 2012 to replace the IICA scheme. This change was made to ensure that our tax incentive scheme stays competitive and keeps pace with the evolving business environment. Compared to the IICA scheme, the IIA scheme provides an additional allowance on top of capital allowance for qualifying equipment. Furthermore, the equipment placed overseas need not be leased to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Singapore-based company. This allows companies more flexibility in how they structure their overseas operations to support the activities that they carry out in Singapore.
Clause 5 of the Bill repeals and re-enacts Part XIIID of the Economic Expansion Incentives Act (EEIA) to give legislative effect to these changes.
The second major change is to extend the tax relief period of the Development and Expansion Incentive. The Development and Expansion Incentive (DEI) was introduced in 1996. It currently stipulates a maximum DEI period of 20 years. The intent of the DEI is to encourage companies which engage in high value-added activities to operate in Singapore. To further incentivise these companies to continue to grow in Singapore and use Singapore as the home to expand their activities regionally or globally, we will lengthen the maximum possible incentive period from 20 years to 40 years. This will allow our economic agencies greater flexibility to calibrate the DEI incentive period to be commensurate with the scale and scope of companies' incremental commitments and activities in Singapore.
Clauses 2 to 4 of the Bill amend sections 19K and 19KA of the EEIA to give legislative effect to this enhancement.
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The remaining legislative changes arising from our periodic review of the income tax system are related to improvements in tax administration.
Mdm Speaker, the proposed changes to the Economic Expansion Incentives Act seek to stimulate more economic activities in Singapore. These changes also reflect the Government's commitment to monitor the effectiveness of our tax incentive regime and to keep it competitive and relevant as economic conditions change. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Low Yen Ling (Chua Chu Kang): Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Economic Expansion Incentives (Relief from Income Tax) (Amendment No 2) Bill.
Singapore has benefited greatly from our investment promotion activities. As the global centre of economic gravity moves to Asia, we will face increased competition in our bid to anchor more strategic functions and regional headquarter activities to Singapore. Hence, the amendments to the Economic Expansion Incentives are indeed timely as we seek to develop a healthy pipeline of higher value-add jobs for the nation.
At this point, I wish to highlight three key points for consideration. The first point is related to the longer tax relief period. The maximum period that companies can receive development and expansion incentives will be raised from 20 years to 40 years. This is a significant increase that could further strengthen Singapore's value proposition as a desired location for MNCs and Asian enterprises to anchor their strategic functions, manage their operations and harness opportunities, both in Asia and globally.
Having said that, in the course of enhancing the EEI, we also need to carefully consider and ensure that qualifying companies will indeed bring long-term gains to our economy, and benefits that will outweigh the loss of tax revenue. At this point, I would like to clarify with the Minister if there are measures built in to discourage the pursuit of short-term gains or easy pullout by companies. Due to technological advancement and globalisation, companies are able to uproot from one country to another easily. Based on the World Bank Group Report, there is growing evidence, and I quote, \"tax incentives are a crucial factor for mobile firms and firms operating in multiple markets − such
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as banks, insurance companies and Internet-related businesses − because these firms can better exploit different tax regimes across countries\".
In fact, the recent January 2013 Asia Business Outlook Survey by the Economist Corporate Network revealed that companies are relocating their operations more frequently today than in the past. The same report also highlighted that Singapore was losing some of our shine due to factors such as rising costs and labour shortages. Besides relying on incentives like the DEI to attract companies to Singapore, we need to watch out for key factors that could erode our competitive advantage, such as cost of living, inflation, upward property prices and manpower crunch.
In addition, tax competition between countries can create a \"race to the bottom\" that benefits only investors. To avoid such scenarios, we could look into how to further leverage our international or regional trade agreements as alternative tools of attracting investments and jobs.
Madam, my second point is related to the application of the DEI for homegrown companies. Besides attracting foreign companies, I would like to urge the MTI, MOF and Government agencies to look into how the DEI could be used with some flexibility to catalyse the development of our own local companies into global champions. Expanding overseas is a hefty investment and involves a long gestation period before companies see significant returns. Similarly, having robust intellectual property and R&D are crucial for our local companies to compete internationally.
So for local companies with the potential to be global champions that could put Singapore on the world map, a flexible and supportive DEI could give them the push they need to succeed. For instance, letting them plough back profits made from Singapore markets into R&D could give them a much-needed source of funds for such activities. A DEI that successfully complements the current grants and support provided by SPRING Singapore and IE Singapore could well boost our Singapore companies' expansion into regional and international markets.
Madam, my final point is on the Integrated Investment Allowance (IIA). To grow high-value added activities in Singapore, our Singapore businesses must expand abroad and capture new growth opportunities. Expanding abroad could also often mean relocating lower cost activities overseas. This is where the IIA really comes in handy. It will give our local companies an additional allowance on fixed capital expenditure incurred for productive equipment placed overseas.
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So, the IIA is a good tool that would allow Singapore-based companies to make long-term strategic decisions for their businesses and operations. In relation to the Bill's amendments, I hope the Minister can elaborate on the type of companies that we wish to attract and target under the scheme and what would be the economic benefits we can expect for Singapore.
In conclusion, I believe the EEI amendments will continue to bring positive effects to our local economy and fellow Singaporeans. However, to ensure that we continue to benefit from the gains that investments will bring, we must constantly work at keeping our investment climate an attractive one. Besides building good trade and business policies, our human capital, technological capacity, level of productivity and business cost will hold the keys to future competitiveness of our economy while global headwinds continue to blow. On this note, I support the Bill.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Mdm Speaker, I thank Member Low Yen Ling for her very thoughtful comments. I just want to reiterate the key point that she made and that is that even as we tweak the tax incentive regime, in the end, we have to depend on our basics, our ability to compete in order to attract investments. Hence, we have to depend on our regulatory system, our policy certainty, our human capital, our competence, our education. These are the basics. What we are addressing today is adjustments to the tax incentive scheme to make ourselves more effective.
Let me address the three points that she raised. First, on the expansion of the tax incentive period from 20 years to 40 years. I would like to assure the House that this extension of a longer period would be used extremely sparingly, and this is only meant for companies that show commitment to the long-term development of their future in Singapore. To track their growth and commitments in Singapore, we would have intermediate milestones and intermediate targets. So the extent to which the tax regime would be extended would depend on them meeting these commitments and intermediate milestones.
The second point is DEI for homegrown companies. This is clearly also extended to our homegrown companies. We encourage our homegrown companies to take full advantage of the development expansion incentives. In particular, I agree with Member Low Yen Ling that we should try to encourage our local companies to undertake more R&D, to build up their intellectual property capital and to be able to compete in the future.
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The third area is the application of the Integrated Investment Allowance (IIA). This is to recognise the reality of regional production chain and regional supply chain. We cannot expect everything to be done out of Singapore. To take full advantage of our regional trade agreements, we should increasingly see many companies locating the different parts of their production and supply chain throughout the region. Therefore, we need to tweak the IIA to respond to this new reality. Again, this would be used very sparingly to make sure that the appropriate value-added activities are located in Singapore before these companies can qualify for the IIA.
[(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 Lim Hng Kiang]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The deletion of \"No 2\" and the change of citation year from \"2012\" to \"2013\", as indicated in the Order Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 7 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill 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 Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed.\" – [Dr Ng Eng Hen]. (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 6.13 pm
to a date to be fixed.
Page: 104
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Getting Economically Inactive Singaporeans Back to Work","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"30 Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry keeps a record of economically inactive Singaporeans; and (b) what measures are there to help this group of Singaporeans join the workforce to address the manpower shortage faced by local enterprises.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: MOM does not keep a record of all economically inactive Singaporeans. However, we are able to estimate the numbers and profile of the economically inactive from the Labour Force Survey conducted on a sample of households in Singapore. In June 2012, there were around 418,000 residents aged 25 to 64 who were economically inactive. Out of these, four in five, or about 336,000, were women. The same survey also showed that 90,000 of all economically inactive residents aged 25 to 64 intended to look for a job within the next two years.
These economically inactive individuals represent a valuable pool of labour and talent that companies can tap on to address their manpower shortages. However, many economically inactive individuals have other responsibilities, and many often cite family and care-giving duties as reasons keeping them out of the workforce. For those who are able or wish to return to work, my Ministry has put in place a comprehensive set of measures to help remove and minimise the barriers that they face.
For instance, many economically inactive individuals would return to the workforce if there are part-time or flexible work arrangements. This will help them to better balance their family and work commitments. In this area, the Government provides generous funding support to help employers redesign jobs, put in place flexible working arrangements and hire the economically inactive. The Work-Life Works! (WoW!) Fund supports holistic implementation of flexible work arrangements, while the Flexi-Works! scheme helps employers defray some of the costs incurred when hiring economically inactive individuals, such as job redesign, consultancy, recruitment, training, absentee payroll and equipment costs. We will be refining these schemes in the coming year to
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provide stronger support to companies and economically inactive individuals.
Employers can tap on these funds to put in place work-life strategies. However, building conducive workplaces is not just about putting in place the necessary technology or physical infrastructure. More importantly, employers need to adopt a new and progressive mindset. To maximise the use of manpower, employers have to understand the needs of their staff, be prepared to offer customised working arrangements, and have flexible working arrangements entrenched in their HR policies and company culture.
At the same time, economically inactive individuals who wish to return to work also need to have the skills required by employers. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) provides generous funding for all individuals, including the economically inactive, to upgrade their skills and improve their employability. Individuals who need more assistance to improve their job readiness can also sign up for WDA programmes, such as Workfare – Skill Up.
We will continue to work closely with our tripartite partners to help reduce the barriers to re-entering the workforce and to help employers tap on this pool of manpower.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Overcrowding in Restructured Hospitals","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"31 Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Health whilst awaiting new healthcare institutions to be ready and functional, how is overcrowding and high bed occupancy rates handled in the restructured hospitals.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Our public hospitals adopt a multi-pronged strategy to actively manage patient loads and bed occupancy. This includes right-siting care, active intervention to safeguard patient safety during the wait for admission, and optimising the use of resources.
To right-site care, our hospitals actively review and discharge patients who are medically stable so as to release capacity and allow new patients to be admitted. This includes working closely with the Agency for Integrated Care to transfer stable patients to step-down care settings, such as community hospitals and nursing homes. Some hospitals also work with service providers
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to provide transitional support and training for care-givers, to help discharged patients recuperate in their own homes.
For patients waiting at the emergency departments for admission, our hospitals have put in place measures to ensure the continued delivery of safe and timely care. These include deploying inpatient medical teams to initiate prompt medical assessment and definitive care at the emergency department. To optimise the use of resources, subsidised patients may be placed into private wards for a short duration if subsidised wards are full, and these patients continue to pay subsidised rates. As occupancy rates vary across hospitals, some stable patients are also transferred, with their consent, to hospitals with higher available capacity, such as Alexandra Hospital. This helps to spread the load across the system.
While we are also building new capacity in the longer-term, such as the new Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, which is scheduled for completion by end-2014, MOH is also working with existing institutions to add capacity in the short term. For example, the Changi General Hospital and St Andrew's Community Hospital's Integrated Building will add 180 acute hospital beds and 100 community hospital beds when it is completed in end-2014. Where appropriate, our hospitals deploy transition beds to accommodate patients for up to a day until transfers to beds are available. In addition, hospitals also tap on the capacity in the private sector to meet their needs. For example, Changi General Hospital rents 26 beds in Parkway East Hospital to manage their clinically stable patients.
Finally, I would like to reassure the public that my Ministry monitors the hospital bed situation closely and our hospitals work hard to deliver appropriate care in a timely manner to ensure that patient safety and care are not compromised.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Undergraduate Intake at Singapore University of Technology and Design","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"32 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the expected intake of undergraduates for the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) for 2013; and (b) whether there is any reason why SUTD does not intend to fill up all the available undergraduate places if there is
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excessive demand.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is in the midst of its admissions exercise for AY2013 and there is healthy interest in SUTD from prospective students. For AY2012, SUTD had an intake of 340 students. It expects a comparable or better intake for AY2013, although the actual number of students admitted will depend on the quality and profile of students who apply.
SUTD takes a holistic approach in evaluating students’ applications to ensure that there is a \"right fit\". The design-focused Engineering and Architecture curriculum and pedagogy developed and delivered in collaboration with MIT requires students to be not only academically strong, but also have a passion for design and technology, and enjoy a rigorous and multi-disciplinary course of study.
SUTD will fill as many places as possible within the planned capacity, while ensuring that students who are admitted can cope with the demands of its programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Difference between Government and Business Sectors' Assessment of Productivity Growth Target","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"33 Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the Ministry's assessment of the Singapore Business Federation's (SBF) recent concerns on the Government's productivity growth target; (b) whether there are gaps between the Government's expectations and those of the SBF and the industry, and if so, what are the gaps and what more can be done to bridge these gaps; and (c) what is the Ministry's evaluation of the effectiveness of the various initiatives provided to help companies transition to a more productive business environment and what more can be done to help companies with this transition.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) had commented that the Government’s target of 2% to 3% productivity growth per annum over this decade is ambitious as most developed economies usually experience slower productivity growth averaging 1% to 2%.
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In 2010, the Economic Strategies Committee had recommended, and the Government had agreed to set a stretch target of 2% to 3% productivity growth per annum over this decade. This target was set after a decade of low productivity growth of just 0.8% per year between 2000 and 2009. In contrast, our productivity growth was 3% per year in the 1990s and 5% per year in the 1980s.
As productivity measures are sensitive to economic cycles, we have to take a long term view towards achieving our target. If we are able to achieve 2% to 3% per annum productivity growth by 2020, offsetting the weak performance of the last decade, our average productivity growth from 2000 to 2020 would be 1.5% to 2% per annum. Seen over the long term, our productivity target is challenging but not overly ambitious.
There is potential to transform practices and improve our productivity in several key sectors, such as construction, food services, food and furniture manufacturing. The productivity of these sectors lags significantly behind that of advanced economies. For example, productivity in our construction sector is 70% lower than that of Japan while productivity of our retail sector is less than half that of comparable global cities such as New York and London. If companies in these sectors are able to adopt the best-practices and technologies used in developed countries, and move up the value chain, we can close the gap and achieve significant productivity gains.
The Government remains fully committed to the national effort aimed at driving productivity improvements across our economy, at the sector, firm and worker level. The National Productivity and Continuing Education Council (NPCEC) has endorsed a comprehensive range of broad-based schemes and sectoral roadmaps to meet the unique needs and challenges in 16 priority sectors.
The take-up rate of the various productivity initiatives has been encouraging and there is some early progress on the ground. One example is in the retail sector. The retail productivity roadmap has supported various productivity and services upgrading projects from over 200 retailers. 185 CEOs and productivity managers have been trained under the various projects, and 14,000 workers were trained in collaboration with WDA. For example, Nanyang Optical used to rely on feedback and gut feel to manage inventory. In addition, collection of information was slow and tedious as many employees had to be involved in data entry. With support from SPRING’s Capability Development Scheme (Technology Innovation), Nanyang Optical implemented an IT system
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which improved the company’s inventory management and sales forecasting ability.
Our key task ahead is to drive even more companies to take up the range of productivity initiatives that have been put in place. We will continue to keep our programmes relevant and effective for companies, as well as introduce new initiatives to keep pace with evolving needs on the ground. We will also help SMEs to navigate our schemes and apply for those that best fit their needs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Target Timelines for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"34 Mr R Dhinakaran asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what were the specific timelines and target dates set for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) launched by ASEAN and its six regional free-trade partners at the November 2012 ASEAN Summit.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a 16-party free trade agreement that was launched by the Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN FTA Partners of Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand at the 21st ASEAN and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The negotiations are expected to commence in early 2013 and the aim is to conclude them by end-2015. The Senior Economic Officials from the RCEP Participating Countries will be meeting in early 2013 to finalise the terms of reference (TOR) for the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) as well as the work plan for the negotiations.
Along with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), the launch of the RCEP negotiations is a significant milestone for deeper regional economic integration, and a possible pathway to a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Salary Terms in Cleaning Contracts Managed by NEA","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"35 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the number of hawker centres whose cleaning contracts are currently managed by NEA; (b) for those not managed by NEA, who is overseeing the cleaning contracts; and (c) what is the average gross salary of hawker centre cleaners under (i) non-NEA managed cleaning contracts and (ii)
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NEA-managed cleaning contracts.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: NEA currently manages the cleaning contracts for all the 25 MEWR-owned hawker centres directly. These cleaning contracts cover three categories of cleaning, namely general cleaning, toilet cleaning and table-cleaning. For the 82 HDB-owned hawker centres, the respective Town Councils (TCs) manage the contracts for the general cleaning and toilet cleaning functions, while individual Hawkers’ Associations (HAs) manage the contracts for table-cleaning services.
For new cleaning contracts called from 1 April 2013, NEA will only engage cleaning contractors accredited under the Enhanced Accreditation Scheme (EAS). This would apply to all MEWR-owned hawker centres. The EAS, among other conditions, requires accredited cleaning companies to adopt progressive wages for their resident cleaners as recommended by the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners. This means that full-time resident cleaners under the NEA’s new contracts will be paid starting basic wages of at least $1,000 per month.
The TCs and HAs of the HDB-owned centres make their own decisions as to who to award cleaning contracts to. Nevertheless, NEA will work with the TCs and HAs to encourage them to contract cleaning only to companies accredited under the EAS, so that their cleaners will have ready access to the suite of benefits, including wages that match their level of skills and training and a progressive wage system.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Numbers of Companies that Started and Folded","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"8 Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance if his Ministry will provide, for the period of the last two years, (i) the number of new companies set up according to industry sectors; (ii) the number of companies which ceased operations; and (iii) the percentage of SMEs among the companies which ceased operations.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: Thirty-one thousand, seven hundred and forty-two companies were set up in 2012 compared to 29,987 companies in 2011. More than half of the new companies formed were from three industry sectors, namely: (i) wholesale and retail trade; (i) financial and insurance activities; and (iii) professional, scientific and technical activities1.
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The numbers of companies which ceased operations in 2011 and 2012 were 17,930 and 17,218 respectively. I am circulating the breakdown by industry, for companies that were set up as well as those that ceased, for Members' reference.
MOF is unable to identify the SMEs2 among the companies which ceased operations because not all companies, for example, solvent exempt private companies, are required to file their accounts with ACRA. As such, ACRA is also unable to tell whether such companies are SMEs. However, as SMEs form the bulk of our companies, it is therefore also likely that most of those that ceased operations are SMEs.
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39 Ms Tan Su Shan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Ministry is (a) considering new initiatives in the Government's Budget for FY13/14 to specifically help SMEs make the adjustment in coping with a lower foreign worker dependency ratio ceiling; and (b) planning to provide consultancy support to SMEs who seek help, specifically to identify opportunities to pursue productivity gains, especially in labour intensive industries.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: SMEs that need help to identify opportunities for productivity improvements can seek assistance from the Enterprise
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Development Centres (EDCs). At these centres, Productivity Management Programme advisers conduct workshops to introduce productivity concepts to SMEs, help SMEs assess their productivity performance and advise SMEs on productivity improvement plans and implementation. SMEs can also tap on SPRING's Innovation & Capability Voucher (ICV) to engage consultants to help them upgrade their capabilities in innovation, productivity, human resources and financial management.
The Government also recognises that some SMEs may need more specialised and in-depth consultancy support, and has set up productivity centres to address the challenges faced by each sector. Two productivity centres have been set up for the Construction and Manufacturing sectors. A third centre for the Services sector, initially focusing on Retail and Food Services, will be launched this year. These three and future centres conduct industry-specific productivity diagnosis and improvement projects. They also train and develop productivity consultants and managers to facilitate the adoption and implementation of productivity initiatives.
In addition, we are building up a pool of industry-specific productivity consultants. SPRING has engaged the Japan Productivity Centre (JPC) to develop and train productivity consultants for the local Retail and Food Services sectors, which comprise mostly SMEs. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will also introduce a training course to educate small builders and subcontractors on construction productivity.
Apart from consultancy support, the Government also offers various schemes for SMEs to build up capabilities and improve productivity, so that they can restructure, reduce dependence on manpower, and achieve more sustainable growth. For example, SPRING and IE Singapore offer a suite of capability development schemes that companies can tap on. These schemes cover a wide range of areas, such as branding, technology adoption, innovation and service quality. Last year, we increased the grant subsidy rate for these schemes from 50% to 70%, for three years.
Yes, we will consider initiatives to help SMEs as part of the Budget exercise.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Quick Build-up of Telecommunications Base Stations in New Estates","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"40 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) why is there a time lag for the telecommunications service providers to set up base stations in newly-built housing estates; (b) how long does it take for a telco base station to be built and to be operational; and (c) how will the Ministry ensure that the telcos keep pace with the construction schedules of new housing estates.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Today, mobile operators install base stations at rooftops of buildings or tall structures, such as lamp posts, to provide outdoor mobile coverage. Generally, the signals from these base stations also penetrate buildings in the vicinity to provide in-building mobile coverage to homes and offices. However, some end-users may experience weak mobile signals within buildings for various reasons. For example, there could be \"blind spots\" due to the building design, or obstructions caused by other structures outside the buildings. Furthermore, with buildings being built taller and closer to each other, it has become more challenging for outdoor base stations to provide in-building coverage, especially to the higher floors.
The design and coverage of each mobile operator's network depends on their business decisions. They will have to factor in various considerations, including compliance with regulatory requirements. For example, IDA has required nation-wide service coverage on mobile operators and specified a set of minimum Quality of Service (QoS) standards as part of their licence conditions. Mobile operators are required to design and deploy their networks to meet these requirements, but as part of their competitive strategies, operators may do more to enhance their network to provide better service quality to their customers.
With changes in technology, our urban landscape, as well as mobile users' usage profile, mobile operators will need to actively monitor these developments and adjust their networks dynamically over time. When mobile operators become aware of weak in-building coverage, either through feedback from end users or their own monitoring, they will need to enhance service coverage by providing dedicated in-building solutions or planting more outdoor base stations. In order to install base stations or provide in-building solutions, mobile operators have to work with the relevant building or land owners to negotiate the relevant commercial terms before installation work can
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commence. As such, the time required for these installations may vary and I understand that this could be between three and 12 months.
My Ministry and the IDA recognise the growing reliance on mobile communications for personal and work uses. Hence, IDA has taken several measures to ensure that mobile telephone operators are able to provide the necessary coverage for users.
Firstly, IDA revised the quality of service framework for 3G mobile coverage. In the revision, the standard for outdoor coverage was enhanced since 1 April 2012, and a new standard for in-building or indoor coverage is introduced to ensure coverage of more than 85% within each building from 1 April 2013.
Secondly, IDA has conducted public consultations on proposed amendments to the Code of Practice for Info-communication Facilities in Buildings (or COPIF), which may require building owners or developers to provide space and access to mobile operators, to facilitate the provision of mobile coverage within building developments. The revised COPIF is expected to be issued soon.
Thirdly, in the case of HDB buildings, IDA has been working with relevant agencies to streamline the processes in order to shorten the timeframe for mobile operators to conduct their site surveys and install their base stations. Given that different areas or buildings have their own unique requirements for mobile coverage, IDA does not stipulate the technical solution that each mobile operator should deploy. Instead, IDA requires the operators to meet the broader objective of providing adequate mobile coverage in compliance with IDA's regulatory framework.
MCI and IDA will continue our efforts to enable timely mobile coverage of buildings and minimise any inconvenience to residents.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Requirement for Employers to Pay Minimum Monthly Wage before Obtaining Exemption from Overtime Pay","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"41 Mr Alex Yam asked the Acting Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider a requirement for a minimum monthly basic wage for low-wage workers before exemption from section 38(5) of the Employment Act
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is granted for extended overtime work.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Under the Employment Act, employers who require their employees to work more than 12 hours a day or more than 72 hours of overtime a month have to seek an exemption from the Commissioner for Labour before they can do so. Even with the exemption, employers that are exempted from the limit of 12 hours a day cannot require their employees to work for more than 14 hours in a day.
MOM considers every application for exemption very carefully to ensure they are meritorious and additionally we impose conditions and requirements on employers seeking the exemption. Employers must be able to justify why they require the exemption. In addition, they must obtain the consent of employees in extending their overtime hours as well as the agreement of the unions of the company, if it is unionised, and have a good track record in maintaining both safety and health as well as employment standards.
We are studying ways to raise basic wages and reduce overtime hours in targeted low-wage sectors with the various stakeholders, including the unions and industry associations. A wage requirement for applications for overtime exemption is one possible means of lifting wages of low-wage workers who work extended overtime hours and we will certainly consider the Member's suggestion alongside other measures in our on-going review.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Housing Requirements of Singles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"42 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for National Development with the changing social environment where more Singaporeans are remaining single and not living with their parents (a) if the Ministry will consider lowering the age requirement for singles to buy new flats; and (b) if the Ministry will do a study to look into the housing needs of single Singaporeans between 25 and 34 years of age to help those who aspire to have their own homes.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Our public housing policy should support the Government’s pro-family social framework. Singles are part of a family unit, and are encouraged to live with their families for mutual care and support.
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We allow singles to buy new HDB flats or resale flats from the age of 21, if they form a family nucleus with their parents to do so. If they wish to live on their own and are aged 35 and above, they can buy a resale HDB flat.
The minimum age of 35 supports our promotion of marriage and parenthood. We will be revising our policies to allow singles to buy new HDB flats with certain restrictions. However, there are no plans to lower the minimum age, as marriage rates are highest between the ages of 25 and 34.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Higher Interest Rates for HDB Loans than for Private Bank Loans","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"44 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for National Development (a) why HDB concessionary and HDB market interest rates are higher compared to those imposed by the commercial banks; and (b) are HDB buyers worse off in taking HDB loans compared to if they had taken commercial bank loans.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The HDB market interest rate is the moving average of the long term HDB housing loan rates levied by the three local banks (DBS, OCBC and UOB). It is subject to the floor rate of the HDB concessionary interest rate. The latter is pegged at 0.1%-point above the prevailing CPF interest rate.
While these rates are currently above the short term promotional mortgage rates of commercial banks, the promotional rates are unlikely to remain low indefinitely.
As housing loan tenures run into years, rate comparisons should be done over the long term. Over the past 20 years, for example, HDB's concessionary interest rate has been, on average, 1.5%-points lower than the banks' market rates. HDB's non-concessionary loans are only offered on an exceptional basis, upon appeal.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Abstention from UN Resolution on Palestine","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"45 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether Singapore's decision to abstain on the successfully passed United Nations (UN) resolution to elevate Palestine's status at the UN into a Non-Member Observer State, increases Singapore's vulnerability to terrorists sympathetic to the Palestinian cause; and (b) whether his Ministry will consider voting in concert with the majority of ASEAN members on Palestine-specific issues at the UN in future, so as to speak with one ASEAN voice on the matter.
46 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) what is Singapore's position on the Palestine Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund; and (b) whether Singapore intends to make a contribution to this international multi-donor fund for the humanitarian development and reconstruction of Palestine.
Mr K Shanmugam: There are two questions related to Palestine and I will take them together.
With reference to Mr Pritam Singh's question, Singapore’s position on the UN resolution has not made us neither more nor less vulnerable to terrorism. If we had a different position on this issue it would not have reduced the threat to us either. Singapore continues to be vigilant because the threat of terrorism to Singapore, regardless of our voting position on this or other issues, remains a constant challenge. Hon Members will recall that we faced a serious threat from Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in 2001, the radical group linked to Al Qaeda. The JI's aim was, and remains, the forcible imposition of a pan-Islamic caliphate in Southeast Asia.
The Hon Member can let the House know whether he believes that a change in our voting position will make us more secure, and I will take serious note if indeed those are his views.
Let me also take this opportunity to make Singapore’s position on Palestine clear. Singapore supports the right of the Palestinian people to a homeland. Singapore issued a statement welcoming the proclamation of a Palestinian state in 1988. Apart from the resolution on Palestine's Observer State status, there are approximately 19 resolutions on various Palestinian-related issues tabled each year at the UN General Assembly. Singapore has consistently
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voted in favour of all of them.
However, Singapore abstained on the Non-Member Observer State resolution because we believe that only a negotiated settlement consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 242 can provide the basis for a viable, long-term solution. Both Israel and Palestine have legitimate rights and shared responsibilities. They must both be prepared to make compromises in order to achieve a lasting peace. We believe that any unilateral actions, be it by Israel or Palestine, to force a settlement of the issue will hinder rather than facilitate the peace process.
We have already seen how such unilateral actions could lead to unintended results. For example, when UNESCO voted to admit Palestine as a member in 2011, the US cut its funding to the organisation. As a result, UNESCO has had to cut back on some of its programmes, given that US funding makes up 22% of its budget. We cannot dismiss the possibility that other organisations to which Palestine is also seeking membership could suffer similar results. Whatever the motivation, such unilateral actions would only politicise these organisations and hinder their primary missions. Similarly, we also do not support Israel's activities that contravene international law, including its settlement activities in the Occupied Territories. We have voted as such at the UN and also made our views known to our Israeli counterparts in bilateral meetings.
If Mr Singh believes that we should change our voting stance in any way, in respect of the Palestinian issue, taking into account the answer I have given, and Singapore’s broader economic and security interests, including our economic and security relationships with our neighbours, the US, Israel and, (inter alia) the Arab countries, again he can let us know clearly. We will take careful note of his views when we consider this issue again.
Mr Singh has also asked about ASEAN. Given the increasing complexity of global challenges, ASEAN Member States have sought to enhance their coordination on global issues of common interest. However, ASEAN is not the European Union. ASEAN does not have a common foreign and security policy that binds all Member States. Nor has there been any suggestion in ASEAN circles that we are obliged to take a common position on all issues. It would be impractical, indeed impossible, in light of our diversity. Each ASEAN Member State continues to make its own foreign policy, based on its national interests. In the ASEAN way, the ten consult on issues. If there is consensus, then we act
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in unison; if there is no consensus we act nationally.
ASEAN has expressed concern about the Palestinian-Israeli situation. When the most recent conflict broke out, the Chairman's Statement of the 21st ASEAN Summit included a call from ASEAN Leaders to all parties to return to the negotiation table and resolve the conflict in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. However, ASEAN Member States continue to have different views on the best way to achieve peace. As stated earlier, Singapore believes that only a negotiated settlement consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 242 can provide the basis for a viable, long-term solution.
In summary, Singapore's position on the issue of Palestinian statehood is based on certain principles and international law. As with all resolutions tabled at the UN, Singapore will vote based on our national interests as an independent and sovereign nation, regardless of the position of others. Our position on this issue is well known to all parties and has not affected our close ties with our ASEAN neighbours.
Moving on to Mr Muhamad Faisal's question, Singapore has been contributing to Palestine's development primarily through technical assistance under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP). We have been training Palestinian officials in areas that Singapore is strong in, such as public administration and urban planning. We believe this is the best way for us to make a difference to Palestine's development. We have also a S$1 million technical assistance package for Palestine as well as post-graduate scholarships to Palestinian officials. We will continue to provide technical assistance to Palestine in areas most relevant and impactful to their development.
Singapore welcomes efforts by the international community to contribute to the humanitarian development and reconstruction of Palestine. We have no current plans to donate to the World Bank's Palestine Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund. We have contributed in our own ways as I explained earlier.
Singapore has also made voluntary monetary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). We have also contributed to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in response to the UN agencies' joint-appeal for funds following the 2009 Gaza conflict.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Correlation between Home Ownership and Marriage","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"47 Ms Tan Su Shan asked the Minister for National Development over the past 10 years (a) what is the number of singles between 35 and 40 years of age, buying flats from HDB directly; (b) what percentage of such persons subsequently married, as compared with the same singles age group that did not purchase a flat or apartment; and (c) whether the data shows that having one's own home helps in settling down faster and, if so, whether the Minister will consider expediting the direct sale of Build-to-Order flats to them.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Singles cannot buy new flats from HDB by themselves. They can buy a resale flat if they are at least 35 years of age.
Over the past 10 years, 18,000 singles aged between 35 and 40 bought HDB resale flats. Of these, 3,800 (or 21%) got married subsequently. We do not have data on singles who did not purchase an HDB flat or a private apartment.
We are finalising our policy to allow singles to buy new HDB flats for the strict purpose of owner-occupation. We aim to get it implemented this year.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Community-Based Mental Health Plan","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"48 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Health (a) if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the community-based mental health plan; (b) what is the reach and effectiveness of mental health professionals mobile teams providing early onsite response and whether its capacity will be increased; and (c) which agency plays the central coordinating role in helping those with psychosis who are not institutionalised and are without caregivers.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Earlier this year, we announced plans to develop community-based mental health services to complement those in our hospitals.
As part of this, we are developing Assessment and Shared Care Teams (ASCAT) to provide specialised mental health care. People with mental conditions can be seen and managed by these teams, which are led by psychiatrists and consist of psychologists, occupational and physical therapists and case managers, at the clinics in the community instead of having to see
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psychiatrists in the hospital. To date, we have set up two ASCAT teams. One is temporarily sited in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) in Yishun and will eventually move to a location outside the hospital; the other is at Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic.
These two teams have seen over 200 patients since commencing services this year in August and October respectively. The ASCATs are also working closely with the community partners in their area, such as Family Service Centres (FSCs), and Senior Activity Centres (SACs), by providing them with training in the care of the mentally ill. These community partners are also able to refer cases to ASCAT. If these pilots are successful, we will expand to six ASCATs by 2016.
For those who require more basic support in mental healthcare, such as counselling and psychotherapy, we have set up two Community Mental Health Intervention Teams (COMIT) to support General Practitioners (GPs) in managing patients with mild to moderate mental conditions. The first team led by O'Joy Care Services, has been operating at Upper Boon Keng since January this year, helping over 80 patients to date. This team covers the elderly with dementia and their caregivers in the northern region, comprising Yishun and Woodlands and the central region, comprising Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh and Kallang. Another COMIT team focusing on adults and caregivers has just been launched in Yishun in November this year to cover the northern region. The COMIT teams will be linking with GPs in these regions so that GPs can refer patients who need counselling and psychotherapy to the team. There are plans for 10 COMITs by 2016.
We have also put in place a 24-hour mental health helpline through which community partners, such as FSCs and SACs, can be linked up with healthcare services when they encounter difficult situations. This is supported by mobile teams to provide home visits where further assistance or closer assessment is needed. We are extending this helpline to our community partners in stages. Currently, 12 FSCs have been linked up to this helpline. We intend to reach all SACs and FSCs by March 2013.
For patients with psychosis, which is a more severe form of mental illness, IMH is developing an Integrated Patient Assessment and Continuous Engagement System (iPACE) to ensure that they are cared for appropriately and comply with treatment. Patients under iPACE are assessed to determine what follow-up care they require. Patients who require closer follow-up, such as those with a higher risk of relapsing, would then receive closer monitoring to
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ensure that they receive the care and treatment that they need. Community Mental Health Teams conduct home visits when necessary.
For community support, IMH will refer patients to partners, such as the Singapore Association for Mental Health, Silver Ribbon Singapore, and the Community Rehabilitation Support & Service Programme run by Singapore Anglican Community Services. Such support could include counselling, psycho-social rehabilitation, and assistance with housing or employment issues. Upon discharge, IMH patients are also given contacts for IMH’s contact centre, case managers, and community mental health team.
Moving forward, the Agency for Integrated Care is working closely with IMH, RHs and social agencies to ensure that new services and existing programmes develop into an integrated mental health network so as to provide seamless and continuous care for patients with mental illness in the community, particularly for those with little or no family support.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reach of Community Health Assistance Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"49 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Health (a) what percentage of eligible Singaporeans are currently enjoying the benefits of the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS); (b) what is the average waiting time from the submission of an application form to the issuance of the CHAS card; and (c) how is the scheme being promoted to eligible Singaporeans.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: As at end 2012, around 240,000 Singaporeans have signed up for the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). Singaporeans who are not on the scheme continue to have access to subsidised care at the polyclinics.
If the applications are in order, successful applicants will typically receive their Health Assist cards within 15 working days from the date that their applications are received. Sometimes, the process may be delayed due to incomplete application form. Applicants may call the CHAS Hotline3 to check on the status of their applications.
Over the past year, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) have been promoting and raising awareness of CHAS
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through the newspaper, radio and TV advertisements. We have also been working closely with grassroots organisations to extend our outreach into the community.
In the coming year, AIC is focussing on more targeted engagement through the grassroots. Some of these planned initiatives include appointing and supporting CHAS \"champions\" at the grassroots level to encourage more residents to participate in the scheme. Other initiatives, such as direct mailers to potential beneficiaries and sign-up booths within the neighbourhood, are also in the pipeline.
We will continue to find ways to reach out to and encourage more eligible Singaporeans to sign up and benefit from the scheme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["3 : The CHAS Hotline number is 1800-275-2427 (1800-ASK-CHAS)."],"footNoteQuestions":["49"],"questionNo":"49"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress on Singapore Memory Project","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"52 Mr Seng Han Thong asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) if he will be able to give an update on the Singapore Memory Project and a breakdown of the number of memories collected in terms of audio, video and written media and the languages used; (b) whether the aim to collect 5 million personal memories by 2015 can be achieved; and (c) what are the communication efforts made to create awareness among all Singaporeans of all ages and all races to share their memories.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: The Singapore Memory Project (SMP) by the National Library Board (NLB) provides the opportunity for every Singaporean to contribute their memories via any format – through words, photos and video. We have been focused on engaging Singaporeans and encouraging them to contribute their memories, shared stories and experiences that would bond us as communities, and as a nation.
NLB has collected more than half a million4 personal memories in various formats, of which, 67% of them are in text format and 32% in the form of photos. The remaining 1% is in the form of videos. About 90% of the memories collected
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are in English while the others have a good mix of Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The non-English groups are mainly collected through interviews conducted as part of the SMP’s outreach programmes to the heartlands.
The target of collecting five million personal memories is part of the process of building a rich collection of memories, which would be the base for developing and curating our national and community narratives, offering multiple perspectives to the many experiences we shared. While the five million personal memories to be collected by 2015 is a quantitative indicator of mass participation, the project’s main focus remains to work with Singaporeans to build narratives that capture the values, ideals and aspirations that they hold dear to their hearts. This is an ongoing effort, and will go beyond 2015, becoming a permanent feature of NLB's work.
NLB has adopted a hybrid approach of using both physical and digital communication channels to reach out to and engage Singaporeans of all races and ages. An example of NLB engaging Singaporeans via physical communication channels is by going out to the heartlands to interview older residents, who may be less adept in writing down their memories. This was done through road shows at housing estates (for example, Toa Payoh) and by engaging students to interview the senior citizens of these areas. Students from Nanyang Girls High School and Victoria Junior College have interviewed residents from Yuhua and Rochor respectively. SMP's volunteer group – Memory Corps5- trained the students and gave them tips on how to conduct interviews with the older residents. Efforts have also been made to use mass media channels to reach out to young and old Singaporeans across all languages. For instance, SMP editorials are placed in the major newspapers across the four languages.
The SMP also actively engages the media-savvy crowd via the use of digital communication channels, such as the SingaporeMemory.SG web portal (www.singaporememory.sg) and mobile application for contributions to be made directly. The SMP has also built a very active social media presence to communicate with younger Singaporeans, and open up new channels for them to share and contribute their memories. The SMP facebook page – irememberSG – has more than 16,000 fans with posts that constantly receive more than hundreds of \"likes\".
I would like to encourage all Singaporeans to continue sharing their stories of people, places and events with us through the SMP web portal, mobile application, and the SMP roadshows and events. The memories collected will
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enable future generations of Singaporeans to understand the collective journey of our nation and the many facets of this place we call home.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["4 : Total memories received: 545, 115. Breakdown by format: 368,456 (67.6%) are in text format, 176,178 (32.32%) are photos, 449 (0.08%) are video clips and 32 (0.005%) are audio recordings.","5 : Memory Corps volunteers serve various roles, such as helping individuals with difficulties documenting their memories; connecting the SMP to people with memories of key Singapore events, personalities and places; and enrolling more volunteers to join the SMP cause."],"footNoteQuestions":["52"],"questionNo":"52"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Uncertified Companies Displaying Halal Logo","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"53 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) for the last three years, what is the number of food companies or eating establishments that have been found to display the MUIS Halal logo without getting MUIS Halal certification; (b) what actions can MUIS take against these errant companies; and (c) whether the relevant Ministry can consider allowing MUIS to impose financial penalties or a suspension order for such infringements.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) is the regulatory authority for Halal products, services or activities in Singapore.
MUIS has the power to prosecute any person for misusing its Halal logo. Anyone who uses the MUIS Halal mark without a valid certificate is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both. Offenders can be issued a composition fine up to $2,000. AMLA also empowers MUIS to revoke or suspend Halal certificates issued to companies if they do not comply with the regulatory requirements.
MUIS carries out surveillance and enforcement actions regularly to ensure the integrity of its Halal Certification system. Initiatives, such as seminars, talks and training programmes, are also conducted to enhance public awareness on
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Halal matters.
MUIS takes a serious view of violations and does not hesitate to take action against offenders. For the last three years, MUIS has prosecuted one company and issued composition fines to 76 companies for misusing the Halal mark. All 77 companies were either food companies or eating establishments. Their offences include the use of MUIS' Halal mark on websites, products and signages when they were not or no longer Halal-certified by MUIS. Within the same period, MUIS also suspended the Halal certificates of 27 companies for a period of three to 12 months. These were for major non-compliances with MUIS' terms and conditions, such as using doubtful ingredients or storing undeclared non-Halal products like cooking oil, wine and bacon.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Benefits of Subsidised Training for Cleaning Industry Workers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"60 Mr Alex Yam asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) how much in WDA grants for training has been given out in 2012 for the cleaning industry; (b) whether WDA tracks the progress of workers' wages and job progression for those who have undergone training; (c) whether the training so far has seen general improvements to workers in the cleaning sector; and (d) what are the Ministry's initiatives for training for the cleaning industry in 2013.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The Government has invested significant resources in our Continuing Education and Training (CET) system, which includes providing generous funding support when workers go for training. For example, low-wage workers who attend training under the Workfare Training Support (WTS) scheme can enjoy high training subsidies of up to 95%.
The Environmental Cleaning WSQ framework was introduced in July 2010 and, in the past two and a half years, some 15,000 workers have been trained. In 2012, the amount of training grants disbursed for the cleaning industry was more than $3.7 million. These numbers do not include non-WSQ training and other training courses, such as Employability Skills WSQ, which employers may have sent their cleaning employees for.
To monitor the outcomes of WSQ training, WDA conducts annual surveys, and the results of the 2011 survey showed that the majority of trainees benefited from the training. Sixty-nine percent of the survey respondents indicated that they were more motivated at work after undergoing training, and 17% enjoyed
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a pay rise.
We should also recognise there are significant less-tangible benefits to effective training, such as better employability, greater motivation and enhanced self-confidence. Indeed, 95% of companies surveyed indicated that they would continue sending employees for WSQ training. This shows that both trainees and employers find value in training.
The Government will continue to work on strengthening our CET system. Specifically for the cleaning sector, to complement the National Environment Agency's (NEA) enhanced Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme and to raise the productivity and performance of cleaners, WDA has also committed $6.1 million in course fee funding over the next two years6 to train and upgrade 7,800 cleaners through the Environmental Cleaning WSQ.
Going beyond funding, WDA has also been working with programme partners to improve the delivery of the training. For instance, delivering the training in mother-tongue languages to help trainees with low English literacy; and leveraging on technology, such as tablets, to deliver training in a more engaging and interactive way. To make it easier for cleaners to go for training, the training hours for some of the modules have also been shortened without affecting content. More hands on practice for the trainees are also provided to enhance their learning experience.
To help companies in the cleaning sector move away from cheap sourcing toward best sourcing, WDA has collaborated with NEA to organise a master class in November 2012 to share good practices in drafting and managing cleaning contracts. To expand and enhance the learning opportunities for the industry, WDA also brings in reputable international cleaning industry experts to share their best practices and experiences with local service providers and buyers. These initiatives help our cleaning industry players gain valuable insights and good practices needed to further professionalise their industry.
Good progress has been made, but we will continue to do more to help our cleaners achieve good job and wage progression. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the importance of training in keeping one’s skills relevant and updated, and to encourage all Singaporeans to embrace the spirit of lifelong learning.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["6 : From June 2012-May 2014."],"footNoteQuestions":["60"],"questionNo":"60"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Illegal Hawking by Foreigners","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"61 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) for each of the years in the last five years, what is the number of foreigners who are caught for illegal hawking in the public in neighbourhood centres; and (b) what action the Ministry takes to control illegal hawking by foreigners.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The National Environment Agency (NEA) works with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to enforce against foreigners engaged in illegal hawking. Over the past five years, the number of foreigners caught for illegal hawking was 1,057 in 2008, 659 in 2009, 549 in 2010, 671 in 2011 and 665 in 2012. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act which was recently revised by MOM and which came into effect in November 2012, foreigners convicted of working or being self-employed without a valid work pass will be fined up to $20,000, or imprisoned for up to two years, or both. My Ministry will continue to work closely with MOM to address the issue of illegal hawking through regular checks and inspections.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Resolution on South China Sea Dispute","subTitle":"Update on Status of Resolution between ASEAN Claimant States and China","sectionType":"WANA","content":"62 Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what is the latest status of the South China Sea dispute resolution between ASEAN claimant states and China.
Mr K Shanmugam: I last addressed this issue in August 2012, after the 45th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in July 2012, where I laid out Singapore's position and interests as well as ASEAN's. I will not repeat
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Singapore's position at length today, save to highlight two points: we are not a claimant state and we have always maintained that by their very nature, the specific territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) can only be settled by the parties directly concerned. This should be done in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In addition, it remains a common interest for ASEAN, China and all major powers to maintain peace and stability in the SCS. ASEAN needs to work closely with China, a claimant state, to promote cooperation and manage tensions in the area.
In this context, ASEAN and China have had several rounds of informal consultations at the officials' level on this issue since August 2012. These include the ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Informal Consultations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the SCS in September 2012, the ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Retreat in Pattaya in October 2012 and the ASEAN-China Workshop on the 10th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in Phnom Penh in November 2012. The issue was also discussed at the Track II level at the ASEAN-China Forum held in Singapore in November last year in which senior officials from several ASEAN countries and China participated.
The common thread running through all these discussions is the recognition by all sides that we share a common interest and responsibility in maintaining peace and stability in the SCS. It is important that all parties refrain from provocative behaviour that could raise tensions in the SCS. Instead, ASEAN and China should find constructive ways to manage the territorial disputes. One way to do so is to fully implement the DOC, including cooperative projects which will help to build mutual trust and confidence amongst all parties.
Another step that we should take is to formally negotiate a COC in the SCS. While a COC cannot and should not be aimed at resolving sovereignty disputes in the SCS, it will provide a rules-based framework to manage the disputes pending the resolution of the claims. ASEAN Member States have called upon China to begin formal discussions on a COC as soon as possible. China has told us that it is still not ready to embark on such discussions. This is China's sovereign decision and since we cannot even begin to discuss a COC without China, we have to respect its position. China has stressed that the DOC should be fully implemented first. The DOC and COC are complementary, not alternatives or sequential. There are advantages to negotiating a COC in parallel with the implementation of the DOC as the latter will build confidence that will facilitate discussions on a COC. We believe it is in the interests of all parties, in particular the claimant states, to begin discussions on a COC as soon as
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possible. We and other ASEAN Member States will continue engaging the Chinese and hope that they will see it in everyone’s interests to begin formal negotiations on a COC soon.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Limiting Cash-Over-Valuation Amounts for HDB Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"63 Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider instituting a cap on Cash-over-Valuations (COVs) for sale of HDB flats to a maximum quantum of 10% of the valuation price of the resale flat.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Cash-Over-Valuation (COV) is the difference between the resale price and the market valuation of the flat. The former is determined by the buyer and the seller. The latter is assessed by a professional valuer. To cap the COV as proposed, the Government will have to set the resale price. I think it is not desirable or even feasible.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Publicising BTO Sites in Advance","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"64 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry can share with the public the proposed new HDB BTO sites one year in advance; and (b) whether the Ministry can consider allowing the public to register their interest for all the proposed sites to enable better planning and matching of demand.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: We will try to publish the names of the towns in which the BTO projects are likely to be launched in the next 12 months. However, the actual sites and other detailed information cannot be firmed up until about two months before launch. This is because such planning is an evolving process, dependent on the site condition and the level of project readiness.
However, allowing the public to register their interest for all proposed sites will not improve planning and matching of demand. This is because such information will not accurately reflect actual demand as there is no commitment to buy. The current system of only allowing one application per BTO exercise is
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better as it prevents genuine buyers from being crowded out by less-committed buyers.
65 Mr David Ong asked the Minister for Health (a) how many elderly persons are currently waiting for admission into an elderly home and what is the current waiting time; and (b) what is the Ministry's plan to manage this demand given the fast ageing population.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: There are about 60 nursing homes in Singapore providing some 9,000 beds today for the elderly with high care needs. About 500 seniors are currently on the waiting list for a nursing home bed, and the average waiting time for admission to a nursing home is about four months. MOH is building more nursing homes to meet the increase in demand. Over 500 more nursing home beds will come on-stream in 2013. A further 3,300 beds will be added with the development of 10 new nursing homes by 2016.
MOH is also working with MSF to provide other alternatives to nursing homes. We are developing a range of home- and community-based aged care services to support families to care for their loved ones at home. We target to double the capacity of home-based healthcare services, such as home nursing and home medical services, to serve up to 10,000 seniors, and more than triple the capacity of home-based social care, such as meals delivery, escort for medical appointments, and personal care services like cleaning and housekeeping, to serve up to 7,500 seniors by 2020.
The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has also worked with various voluntary welfare organisations to develop the Singapore Programme for Integrated Care for the Elderly (SPICE), which provides care in the day time for dependent seniors who would otherwise need to be cared for in nursing homes. Seniors under this programme can go to a SPICE centre in the day time and receive nursing, medical, rehabilitative, personal as well as custodial care services. They can receive some of these services at home on days when they cannot visit the centres physically. The cost of SPICE is comparable to that of nursing home care. SPICE thus enables their caregivers to continue to work while caring for their seniors in the community. We intend to develop more of such programmes and care options to enable our seniors to age-in-place in the
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community.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reviewing COE System for Buses and Goods Vehicles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"67 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider reviewing the COE bidding system for goods vehicles and buses to alleviate the costs of doing business for small businesses and SMEs.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: There are currently no plans to review the COE system for goods vehicles and buses. There are already several concessions given to businesses to manage their transport costs. Businesses bid for Category C COEs to register goods vehicles and buses and do not have to compete with private car buyers in Categories A and B. In addition, business owners enjoy significantly lower vehicle taxes. The Additional Registration Fee (ARF) for all types of goods vehicles (except goods-cum-passenger vehicles7) is set at 5% of the vehicle’s Open Market Value (OMV), instead of the 100% OMV applicable for cars.
Beyond that, the Government offers various schemes on which SMEs can tap, for growth, capability development and productivity initiatives. As part of the annual budget exercise, the Government will also carefully consider the needs of the SME community, to determine if more help is needed and the appropriate means to do so.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["7 : The ARF for goods-cum-passenger vehicles is 100% of OMV."],"footNoteQuestions":["67"],"questionNo":"67"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ideal Education System for Next Decade","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"68 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Education in respect of changes to the PSLE and education system, what is the key driving ideal behind the education system envisaged for the coming decade and how this education system is envisaged to mould our children.
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Mr Heng Swee Keat: Education is fundamentally about helping each individual to discover and develop his or her interests, talents and strengths. It is about developing the whole person, enabling each individual to lead a full, creative and meaningful life.
At the same time, education helps all of us to appreciate our roles and responsibilities to our fellow men, as citizens of our nation and of a global community. This enables us to build a cohesive and harmonious society.
MOE's policies and programmes thus aim to achieve these two overarching objectives, guided by the needs of the future, while building on the strengths of our education system.
We aim to help each child build a rigorous grounding in the key academic foundations of literacy and numeracy, and at the higher levels, knowledge of science and humanities.
On top of this, we seek to develop 21st Century Competencies – information and communication skills, critical and inventive thinking, and civil literacy, global awareness and cross-cultural skills – centred around values, character, and social-emotional competencies that enable us to succeed and interact meaningfully with others. These are critical in an increasingly interconnected, information-rich world.
We will be student-centric in our approach, by creating multiple pathways to cater to the different needs of every child. We want each child to learn at their own pace, in an environment that supports their needs, so that they can progress as far as possible.
To succeed, we will also need to forge a strong partnership with parents and the community.
As we evolve our education system over the next decade, we will reaffirm and preserve the strengths that we have built up over the years, but yet be bold in refreshing or recalibrating in areas where a better balance must be struck.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plain Packaging for Cigarette Packs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"69 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health whether there are plans to introduce plain packaging for cigarette packs in Singapore, as has been legislated in Australia.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Plain packaging of tobacco products was introduced in Australia through a new legislation in December 2012. All tobacco products, including cigarette packs, are now required to be sold in plain, olive colour packaging, with large graphic health warnings and the brand printed in a standard font at the bottom of the pack. This move is intended to deny tobacco companies the use of attractive packaging to market cigarettes.
The tobacco companies and several countries have challenged the legality of the measures. While the legal challenges in Australia’s domestic courts by the tobacco companies have failed, the question of whether the legislation infringes on intellectual property rights and violates global trade laws is pending dispute resolution between state parties at the World Trade Organisation. Australia has also been challenged by a tobacco company through the Hong Kong-Australia Bilateral Investment Treaty on grounds of unlawful expropriation of its investments and valuable intellectual property without compensation.
My Ministry is closely monitoring the developments in Australia and around the world on this plain packaging, with regard to the legal issues as well as its effectiveness. Tobacco control is and continues to be a public health priority in Singapore. Any new control measure will be considered as part of a multi-pronged approach to reduce smoking prevalence.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"HDB BTO Flats for Second-Time Buyers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"70 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) when will the Ministry complete its review of increasing the percentage of HDB BTO flats for second-timer buyers; and (b) what proportion of BTO flats for each launch is the Ministry looking at.
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Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Last March, we tripled the allocation quota for BTO flats in non-mature estates for second-timers from 5% to 15%. This has reduced the second-timer application rate in non-mature estates and enabled more second-timers to have better chances of getting a BTO flat.
We will continue to look into ways to help second-timers, especially those who are downgrading for financial reasons. However, we can only allocate more flats to second-timers if it does not affect the success rate for first-timers who have more urgent needs for housing.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Levy for Private Home Owners who Rent Out Their HDB Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"71 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development if HDB will consider introducing a \"special levy\" on the HDB rental income of HDB owners who reside in private property, as a means to encourage such owners to sell their HDB flats with a view to increase the supply of HDB resale flats and to assist in the moderation of the HDB resale price index.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Singaporean HDB flat owners, including those who own private properties, are allowed to sublet their HDB flats after meeting the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP). Those who do have to pay a higher property tax at 10% of the Annual Value of the flat, as compared to owner-occupiers who pay between 0% and 6%. In addition, their rental income is subject to income tax.
The resale HDB market has to be moderated. The comprehensive package of cooling measures introduced last week will help achieve this objective. It includes a measure which disallows Permanent Residents from subletting their whole HDB flat, as the privilege to buy a HDB resale flat is to meet their living needs. Those who no longer need their HDB flat for owner-occupation should sell it. In any case, HDB does not have the legal authority to impose any \"special levy\" as proposed.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rewarding Taxi Drivers for Meeting New Taxi Availability Standards","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"72 Mr Ang Hin Kee asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider creating a scheme to (i) reward taxi drivers who meet LTA's new Taxi Availability (TA) standards; and (ii) ensure that any financial penalty imposed on the taxi operators who fail to meet the TA standards will not be transferred to the taxi drivers.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: Taxi Availability (TA) standards were developed in close consultation with stakeholders to ensure that they are realistic and achievable, and would, over time, result in discernible improvements for taxi commuters. LTA can play a role to facilitate the meeting of these standards, for example, in helping match taxi hirers and relief drivers. However, as the standards are imposed on taxi operators, we should leave it to the operators to decide if incentives for their drivers are needed.
To allow taxi operators to adjust to the TA framework, there will be no financial penalties imposed for failure to meet the TA standards during the initial six months of implementation. LTA will review this after the six-month period. We understand Mr Ang's concern, and should we decide to impose penalties, I would urge operators to consider very carefully simply passing the buck to their drivers. In this regard, I was happy to note Comfort Delgro earlier assuring that it would work hand in hand with its drivers to meet the standards, and provide them with all the support needed, and would not just push the responsibility to them. Taxi operators should be conscious that if they impose unreasonable or uncompetitive demands or terms on their hirers, they may find their drivers approaching the various other taxi companies in Singapore to hire their taxis.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Improvements to Bus Service Standards after Initial Roll-Out of Buses under BESP","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"73 Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Transport (a) how transport issues faced by commuters have been improved by the introduction of more than 90 new buses in the 4th quarter of 2012 under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BESP); (b) whether the Ministry can provide more
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details on how bus capacity will be ramped up over the next five years with the addition of 800 new buses to the existing fleet; and (c) where the areas of priorities are.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: The Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) targets to reduce crowding, shorten waiting times and improve bus network connectivity. To deliver these improvements to commuters sooner, we have front-loaded the implementation to inject about 70% of the buses or around 550 buses by end-2014. Since the launch of the BSEP in September last year, the bus operators have added 780 weekly bus trips to 54 bus services or 20% of the bus network. We have also launched five new BSEP routes and are on track to roll out at least another five more within the first year of BSEP implementation. By the end of the first year of BSEP implementation, we would also have added around 250 new buses, increasing the bus fleet by about 6%, well above the bus ridership growth rate of about 3% over the last few years.
To evaluate the requests for improved bus services across the community, LTA has taken a balanced approach, and works with community leaders to assess needs and carefully distribute the available resources to achieve maximum benefit. Priority is given to improving service levels on existing services where enhancements are clearly needed, and to roll out new bus routes to meet new developments and help reduce MRT crowding. A key priority would be for the operators to look into improving the employment terms and conditions so as to be able to recruit and retain bus drivers, as that would be the critical resource to enable us to ramp up bus services in the next few years.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Addressing Manpower and Throughput Issues in Restructured Hospitals","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"74 Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Health what are the Ministry's plans and strategies to handle manpower and throughput issues in restructured hospitals in order to meet the criteria and guidelines specified by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-International (ACGME-I).
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Residency postgraduate training system is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-International (ACGME-I) in developing
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and implementing a structured training system that ensures that each doctor trainee consistently receives quality specialist training. To date, all residency training programmes offered in the three main training institutions (referred to as \"Sponsoring Institutions\"), namely the National Healthcare Group, the National University Health Systems and SingHealth, are accredited by ACGME-I.
Training throughput had risen two-fold from 257 trainees in 2009 to 475 in 2012. Such an expansion entails the Sponsoring Institutions to ramp up their educational capabilities in terms of qualified clinical teachers and educational facilities in accordance with standards set by MOH and ACGME-I. For instance, Sponsoring Institutions must provide, among other things, a requisite number of dedicated teaching faculty who will devote 20% of their work week for educational activities. There are 219 doctors who are directly involved in teaching, representing 4% of the total number of doctors in the three Sponsoring Institutions.
To help Sponsoring Institutions meet their teaching workload, MOH supports the Sponsoring Institutions in three ways. First, MOH provides funding for the employment of additional manpower commensurate with the number of work hours devoted by doctors to teaching. This service backfill arrangement is intended to assume the service obligations of these doctors so that they can devote some of their time to teaching. MOH has provided approximately $10 million to Sponsoring Institutions to fund this arrangement since the residency programmes started in 2010. Collectively, the three Sponsoring Institutions were able to provide backfill for 90% of the appointed teaching faculty. However, the situation may be uneven across institutions and specialties. MOH will continue to work with the Sponsoring Institutions to improve on this.
Second, the Ministry also provides other resources to Sponsoring Institutions to support the residency programmes, including funding for key administrative staff. An additional 62 staff have been made available to Sponsoring Institutions so far.
Third, MOH makes available funds for the acquisition of teaching aids, such as simulators and infrastructural improvement to existing educational facilities. Faculty development programmes and workshops are also offered, enabling teaching staff to be more efficient in their work.
MOH will continue to work closely with the Sponsoring Institutions in the transition to the new system of specialist training, which will allow Singapore
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to benefit from better trained specialists.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension of Lease Buyback Scheme to Owners of Larger HDB Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"75 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for National Development if the Government will consider extending the Lease Buyback Scheme to owners of 4-room or larger HDB flats.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) is intended to help lower-income elderly living in 3-room or smaller HDB flats enhance their retirement income. We have no plan to extend the LBS to owners of 4-room or larger HDB flats as they have other monetisation options. Elderly households tend to be small, and those in the larger flat types may have spare rooms to rent out, after their children have moved out. Alternatively, they can choose to right-size to a smaller flat or Studio Apartment under the Silver Housing Bonus Scheme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Subsidies Granted for Part-Time Diploma Programmes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"76 Ms Mary Liew asked the Minister for Education over the past three years (a) how many working Singapore citizens and permanent residents have received subsidies for the polytechnic part-time diploma programmes; (b) how many have successfully completed their diplomas; and (c) what is the total amount of subsidies disbursed.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: In the three years from 2009 to 2011, around 1,000 Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents per year enrolled in part-time diploma programmes at the polytechnics and received subsidies from the Government.
Prior to the recent revisions to the part-time diploma framework in 2011, the normal duration of a part-time diploma course, which varied from course to course, was three to five years. Individuals were allowed to take up to 10 years to complete their course. This flexibility was provided for adult trainees as some
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needed extra time to learn, or needed to defer their training at some point to juggle family, work or other personal demands. Hence, trainees from the same starting cohort may not graduate at the same time. The long duration which trainees are allowed to complete their training makes it difficult to be precise in tracking the success rate by cohorts. Broadly, about 60% to 70% of each starting cohort would have completed within the normal duration of the course.
Since 2011, the part-time diploma courses have been revamped to be more flexible and compact to cater to the needs of working adults. The course structure has been modularised, to comprise five modular certificates stacking up to a full diploma. The duration has also been shortened by 25% to 50% and, generally, can be completed within 2½ years.
Over the financial years from 2009 to 2011, the Government provided $30 million in subsidies, that is, $10 million per year, to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents undertaking part-time diploma training.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Complaints about Quality of BTO Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"77 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the number of complaints that HDB received with regard to defects, poor quality or dissatisfaction with new BTO flats completed in the last two years; and (b) how does HDB deal with such complaints, in particular, those complaints that are due to unsatisfactory building designs.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: HDB is committed to offering flats of high quality to Singaporean households, and designs its flats to be safe and functional.
Among the 19,100 BTO flats completed in the last two years, there were about 13,900 reported defects. This averaged less than one reported defect per dwelling unit. For instance, the most common defects were for doors, sanitary fixtures and windows. They were mostly minor defects that could be rectified easily.
BCA's Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) measures the quality of construction projects. HDB adopts CONQUAS as an independent benchmark. In the past five years, HDB's CONQUAS scores have also been
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rising, reflecting higher quality of flats built.
At every BTO development, HDB sets up a Building Service Centre (BSC) to promptly attend to residents' feedback. HDB also regularly reviews its work processes and the building materials used to improve the quality of its flats.
HDB carries out regular surveys to gather residents' feedback on the design of its flats. These feedback are taken into consideration and incorporated into its flat design where practical. Surveys showed that residents are generally satisfied with HDB's design.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Lifts at Overhead Bridges","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"78 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Transport whether the Government will consider the construction of lifts at overhead bridges, especially in estates where there is a large number of elderly residents.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: To enhance the overall accessibility of our public transport network for diverse groups of commuters, including the elderly and families with young children, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) embarked on an initial programme to install lifts at Pedestrian Overhead Bridges (POBs) in 2012. Existing POBs next to six MRT stations, namely Aljunied, Bishan, Khatib, Kranji, Sengkang and Yew Tee, were selected for lift retrofitting works due to their relatively high usage levels and absence of a nearby barrier-free alternative.
LTA has been studying the provision of lifts to more POBs to better serve the needs of various user groups, including elderly residents in mature HDB estates, and, in principle, we have decided that it is timely for us to embark on a new programme for more POBs to be fitted with lifts. We will announce more details when these are finalised in the coming weeks.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Train Noise Measurement Study","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"79 Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng asked the Minister for Transport if he will give an update on the MRT noise measurement study carried out by LTA.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: LTA’s island-wide MRT noise measurement study, which was completed in May 2012, identified a number of locations that experience noise levels exceeding NEA’s guidelines. In particular, noise levels in areas located near turnout sections of rail viaducts, tend to be much higher.
While the study was going on, LTA proceeded with a trial to test the effectiveness of noise barriers in reducing passing train noise. The trial, which was carried out at the Jurong East Modification Project (JEMP) and Bishan, found that noise barriers were effective in reducing the noise level by around five decibels (dBA) averaged over an hour (Leq 1-hour). LTA subsequently awarded a contract in October 2012 to pilot noise barriers at Tampines, Jurong East and Toh Guan. These pilots will allow LTA to assess the most efficient design and installation method for the noise barriers. The findings from these studies and trials will enable LTA to develop appropriate plans to mitigate railway noise, and LTA will share the details in due course.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reviewing Household Income Ceiling Criterion For HDB Rental Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"81 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for National Development with regard to renting of flats from HDB, whether the Ministry will consider (a) reviewing the household income ceiling eligibility criterion of $1,500 per month; and (b) making policy and allocation assessments based on a family's per capita income.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: HDB rental flats make up 5% of all HDB flats. They are meant to serve deserving needy families who have no viable housing options.
As $1,500 per month corresponds to the 20th percentile of household income, we deem the current income ceiling for the Public Rental Scheme
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appropriate.
In practice, HDB will exercise flexibility so that bigger families exceeding the income ceiling can still get a public rental flat, if they have no family support or other housing options.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Minimising Delays in Flight Take-Offs and Landings at Changi Airport","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"82 Mr David Ong asked the Minister for Transport if he can provide an update on the improvements to manage and minimise flight delays in take-offs and landings at Changi Airport in light of the formation of a task force looking into this matter.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: Changi Airport has experienced a sharp increase in air traffic movements in recent years. In 2011, aircraft movements at Changi Airport exceeded 300,000 for the first time, a growth of 14.5% over the previous year. The significant increase in air traffic movements had led to delays in aircraft arrivals and departures.
A Steering Committee comprising the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), the Changi Airport Group (CAG) and the airport community was established in early 2012 to develop measures to address the situation and raise Changi Airport’s air traffic capacity, without compromising safety.
Several measures have been implemented. Changes were made to air traffic control procedures to improve the predictability of air traffic flows, which allows for a higher traffic throughput. Measures were taken to increase runway availability. These include reducing the duration of runway closures for inspections and maintenance through the use of more resources and technology. CAAS and CAG are also working with the airlines to reduce the time spent by aircraft on the runway after landing.
These capacity enhancement measures have yielded positive results. The on-time performance at Changi Airport has improved despite continued growth in air traffic in 2012. In the second half of 2012, the percentage of delay in aircraft departure declined by about 50% year-on-year, even as aircraft movements
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grew by more than 5% during the same period.
Going forward, Changi Airport has capacity for continued growth. A recent study has concluded that Changi Airport will be able to raise its two-runway capacity by about 40% through further enhancements to air traffic control procedures and additional runway availability measures. The Changi 2036 Steering Committee will also make a decision soon on the civilian use of Runway 3, which will further increase Changi Airport’s runway capacity.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Demographic and Financial Profiles of Families with Foreign Spouses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Prime Minister for each of the years from 2003-2012 (a) what is the number of (i) locals with foreign spouses and (ii) locals with foreign spouses who have children together; (b) what are the demographic and financial profiles of families with foreign spouses; (c) what is the number of foreign spouses of locals whose applications for PR and citizenship were rejected and the reasons for the rejection; and (d) what proportion of the rejections was due to the applicants' suspicious backgrounds.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Based on the Census of Population 20108, there were an estimated 114,000 married couples comprising a citizen and a non-citizen. 86% of the non-citizen spouses were Permanent Residents, with the remainder residing on other pass types, such as the Long-Term Visit Pass.
Amongst these couples, about 66% had at least one child aged below 21 (including children from a previous marriage and adopted children).
68% of the foreign spouses were from Southeast Asia, with 25% from other parts of Asia, and the remainder from other regions. About 59% of such households had a monthly household income that was above the median resident household income ($5,600).
From 2007 to 2011, an average of about 4,300 permanent residence (PR) and 480 Singapore citizenship (SC) applications from foreign spouses
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sponsored by citizens were rejected each year.
Various factors are considered in deciding the grant of PR/SC to foreign spouses, including the duration of marriage, length of stay in Singapore and whether the couple have children from the marriage. Citizens who sponsor their foreign spouses for PR/SC will also have to show that they are able to support them financially. Applications are considered holistically and there may be a number of reasons, taken together, for rejecting an application. Foreign spouses who do not qualify for PR status may be granted a Long-Term Visit Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus for them to remain in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["8 : Latest available data is from Census 2010; the relevant data is not collected on an annual basis."],"footNoteQuestions":["1"],"questionNo":"1"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Loan-To-Value Ratio of COE Financing for Private Vehicles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Ong Teng Koon asked the Prime Minister (a) whether the Ministry will consider reducing the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of COE financing for private ownership of vehicles; and (b) what is the Ministry's assessment of the impact of every 10% drop in the LTV ratio on the prices of COEs.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister): The current high COE prices reflect a confluence of fundamental factors. Healthy income growth, coupled with low interest rates, has underpinned demand for cars. On the supply side, reduction in the target vehicle growth rate and the number of vehicle de-registrations have led to fewer COEs being available.
These fundamental factors are likely to persist for some time. The Government is monitoring the situation, as private road transport costs add to business costs and inflation. However, it is important to look at any possible measures holistically, and consider if they can be effective in promoting greater stability in the COE market. The Government is also making major investments to improve public transport which is the more sustainable mode of transport for Singaporeans in the long run.
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Mr Ong also asked about the impact of every 10% drop in the LTV ratio on the prices of COEs. While lower LTV ratios will have the effect of constraining credit for vehicle purchases, it is difficult to isolate the impact on COE prices of any given change in the LTV ratio, given the many other factors affecting COE prices. Indeed, the introduction of loan limits between 1995 and 2003 had little discernable impact on COE prices.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Total Fertility Rate of Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Prime Minister (a) what is the total fertility rate of Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents respectively over the last 10 years; and (b) whether the permanent residents' fertility rate is likely to converge with that of Singapore citizens in the near future.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) decreased from 1.41 in 2001 to 1.20 in 2011. For international comparison, this is based on the resident TFR. The Department of Statistics (DOS) does not compute the TFR of permanent residents (PRs) separately.
To understand the fertility trends of citizens and PRs, we use the \"average number of children born to ever-married females\". This indicator takes into account all children ever-born to a group of ever-married females up to a specified age range9.
Table 1 shows the average number of children born to ever-married women in 2011, for the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups, by residency status. Over the last 10 years, this has experienced a decline similar to the TFR.
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Birth trends are influenced by many factors, such as economic conditions, age profile, educational profile, labour force participation, as well as personal decisions and societal mindsets. As such, we are unable to accurately predict how the fertility rates of different population segments would develop over time.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["9 : It is different from the TFR which is based on the number of children born to females (single or married) aged 15-49 in a particular year."],"footNoteQuestions":["3"],"questionNo":"3"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Long-Term Visit Pass Applications from Foreign Spouses Approved","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs between 2007 and 2011, what is the annual number of Long-Term Visit Pass applications received from (a) foreign spouses of Singaporeans; and (b) foreign spouses of Singapore PRs, and how many of these applications were approved, respectively.
Mr Teo Chee Hean: Between 2007 and 2011, there was an average of 13,500 Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications each year from foreign spouses of Singaporeans. Of these, about 11,500 applications were approved each year. Over the same period, there was an average of 4,300 LTVP applications a year from foreign spouses of PRs. Of these, about 4,000 LTVP applications were approved each year.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Tisch School of The Arts Asia","subTitle":"EDB-funded education project","sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) if he can provide an explanation for the failure of EDB-funded education projects, such as the Tisch School of the Arts Asia; (b) how much public money the EDB has spent on this and other such failed education projects, such as the University of New South Wales Asia; and (c) why the EDB has declined to reveal details of the contract agreed between EDB and NYU regarding Tisch Asia, particularly as to whether the EDB expects to recover its loans.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The Global Schoolhouse initiative was launched in 2002 to develop Singapore into an education hub which offers a diverse mix of quality education services and builds industry-relevant manpower capabilities for our economy.
Overall, the Global Schoolhouse initiative has been successful in helping to build Singapore's brand name in education and provide courses which meet the manpower development needs of our economy. EDB has thus far attracted 11 renowned foreign universities to set up independent branch campuses in Singapore. These include French business school INSEAD (ranked 5th in the Global MBA Rankings), the Technical University of Munich (ranked top university in Germany), as well as Tisch School of the Arts Asia (Tisch Asia) (ranked 4th globally on Hollywood's 2011 list of Best Film Schools). At the project level, however, there may be specific circumstances that affect the viability of a school's operations in Singapore.
Tisch Asia was set up by New York University (NYU) in 2007. Its presence has enhanced the scope and diversity of our education landscape and the vibrancy of our media and arts scene. Tisch Asia's students and graduates have received international recognition and awards, and the school has brought in several renowned industry practitioners to teach and conduct workshops in Singapore.
Tisch Asia was established on the basis that it would be financially sustainable after a few years. However, over time, the school realised that its revenues were lower than projected while its costs exceeded earlier projections, mainly due to exogenous factors, such as the appreciation of the Singapore
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dollar (SGD) against the US dollar (USD) and the construction boom in 2007. To plug this financial gap, NYU contributed over S$20 million in subsidies to Tisch Asia from 2007 to 2011.
NYU eventually concluded that Tisch Asia's Masters of Fine Arts programme was not financially sustainable on its own. EDB worked closely with NYU and various stakeholders to explore options for the long term sustainability of Tisch Asia's operations. Unfortunately, none of these options was viable, and Tisch Asia made the difficult decision to close down.
We regret Tisch Asia's decision to pull out, but recognise that this was a decision made after careful consideration. Investors know their business better than Government and are in the best position to assess the viability of their plans. Our role is to facilitate and support projects where there are benefits for Singapore, while ensuring that monies are used judiciously and that processes are in place to monitor the progress of these projects.
EDB provided Tisch Asia with a level of support that was commensurate with the anticipated benefits of having the school in Singapore. To date, EDB has disbursed S$11.68 million in loans and S$5.3 million in grants to Tisch Asia. EDB stopped disbursements when it realised that Tisch Asia was facing financial difficulties. EDB is in close discussions with NYU on the details of the loan repayment.
On the Member's question about the financial support given to the University of New South Wales Asia, EDB had provided S$15 million in loans and S$17.5 million in grants. This was reported to this House on 16 July 2007.
Our key priority following NYU's decision is to ensure minimal disruption to the education of the affected students at Tisch Asia. NYU has confirmed that Tisch Asia will remain open at its campus until 2015 and will teach out all existing students in Singapore. This means that no existing students will have their Master's programme disrupted.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Sustainability of Growth in Visitor Arrivals into Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry if he can give an update on the Ministry's plans to sustain the high growth of international visitor arrivals into Singapore over the next 10 years.
Mr S Iswaran (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Singapore’s tourism sector has undergone a significant transformation over the last decade, with its strongest growth in the last few years. International arrivals reached 13.2 million in 2011, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% from 2009 to 2011. Over the same period, tourism receipts grew at an even faster CAGR of 33% to reach a record $22.3 billion in 2011.
The sector's strong performance in recent years was due in part to new tourism offerings, such as the Integrated Resorts and the F1 Singapore Grand Prix, as well as a rise in Asian tourism. We were also emerging from a relatively low base following the global financial crisis of 2008/2009.
Looking ahead, global tourism growth is expected to moderate and regional competition will intensify. The sector will also need to manage and sustain its future growth within our domestic manpower and land considerations. Hence, we do not expect growth in international visitor arrivals to continue at the same rapid pace. Therefore, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is working with the tourism industry to raise its capability in content creation and manpower development, in order to enhance visitor experience and generate quality, yield-driven tourism growth.
A key thrust is to enhance our tourism \"software\" through better tourism content and programming. Strong content will help us derive maximum value from our tourism assets, such as the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore and Gardens by the Bay, as well as the upcoming River Safari, Sports Hub and the National Art Gallery. Innovative content will also be a key differentiator to strengthen our position as a vibrant global city.
Building manpower capabilities and enhancing productivity are other important initiatives. STB will continue to focus its efforts on training, skills upgrading and supporting tourism companies in technology adoption and business process improvements. This will help companies in the tourism sector seize growth opportunities up the value chain, and equip their workers to
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provide quality service to our visitors.
STB will continue to develop current tourism source markets while seeking new bright spots in Asia and beyond. STB will also aim to strengthen Singapore's position not just as a tourism destination, but also as a regional travel hub, connecting to other destinations by air and by sea. One example is the cruise industry and the potential for fly-cruise itineraries for tourists to fly to Singapore and spend a few days before seamlessly integrating with the cruise lines using Singapore as a gateway port. Regional tourism collaboration is key to realising this goal, as we work with our ASEAN neighbours to develop a strong regional cruise network.
Together, these key initiatives will help us grow the sector through quality, yield-driven tourism which will generate significant benefits for local enterprises and create good jobs for Singaporeans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Free Trade Agreement with European Union","subTitle":"Impact on Singapore's economy","sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Mr Nicholas Fang asked the Minister for Trade and Industry given Singapore's open economy, whether the recent free trade agreement with the European Union will increase Singapore's risk to further exposure to fallouts from the current European financial crisis and such events in the future.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Singapore and the European Union (EU) concluded negotiations for the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) on 16 December 2012. Bilateral trade agreements, such as the EUSFTA, open new markets for goods and services, and reduce barriers to trade. Being a small and open economy, FTAs are an integral part of Singapore's trade architecture. Our trade relations are well diversified, and our broad network of bilateral and multilateral FTAs connects us to both mature economies and new markets.
There is no evidence to suggest that trade agreements make countries more susceptible to external financial crises. Although the EU as a whole continues to face severe economic challenges, the EU is still Singapore's second largest trading partner globally, and our bilateral trade with the EU grew
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by 22% between 2009 and 2011, even as the EU was in economic crisis10. The EUSFTA will further enable Singapore companies to tap into the various EU markets and continue to grow our trade with the EU.
Finally, contagion from financial crises is typically spread through the financial channels, such as links between banks. These risks can be mitigated through robust financial regulations and prudential requirements.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["10 : Latest figures available. Source: IE Singapore."],"footNoteQuestions":["7"],"questionNo":"7"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Growth of the F&B Sector in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Ms Tan Su Shan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) over the last 10 years, how has the F&B sector in Singapore grown in terms of GDP contribution, number of outlets and employment in this sector; (b) whether there has been a significant increase in this sector which would account for the rapid rise in demand for foreign workers; and (c) whether there are plans to help those that will have to close down due to the labour cost pressures, to channel their entrepreneurial energy elsewhere.
Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The GDP contribution from the Food and Beverages (F&B) sector has remained at approximately 1.3%11 from 2001 to 2011. Over the same period, the number of F&B establishments grew from 4,185 in 2001 to 6,453 in 2011, an increase of 54%12. The total employment in this sector grew from around 91,000 to 175,000, with the proportion of foreign workers increasing from slightly below one in six in 2001 to around one in three currently13. The growth in the number of foreign workers employed in the F&B sector was strongest from 2005 to 2008, when the economic outlook was favourable and F&B businesses expanded rapidly.
A vibrant F&B sector is important for Singapore to remain an attractive city in which to live, work and play. However, while the growth of this sector has created more jobs for Singaporeans, it has also led to a significant increase in the number of foreign workers. This is unsustainable. Under the productivity roadmap for the F&B sector, the Government has, therefore, set aside $75 million to help businesses improve productivity and reduce their need for foreign workers. One initiative under this roadmap is SPRING's Part-Time Pool
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Programme, which will help F&B establishments tap on a pool of trained part-timers for deployment during peak service hours.
In addition, to encourage corporate restructuring, the Government provides an allowance of up to $5 million for all qualifying share acquisitions in the basis period for each Year of Assessment under the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) scheme.
Businesses that cannot restructure and adapt to the new operating environment may eventually close down. Entrepreneurs who subsequently start up new ventures can tap on various Government schemes, such as SPRING's Start-up Enterprise Development Scheme14 (SEEDS) programme and the Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme15 (TECS), to help grow their business ideas.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["11 : Source: Department of Statistics.","12 : Source: Department of Statistics, Survey of Services. \"Number of establishments\" refers to the estimated count of all active ACRA-registered establishments that engaged in F&B services.","13 : Source: Ministry of Manpower.","14 : SPRING SEEDS is an equity-based co-financing scheme for Singapore-based start-ups with innovative products and/or processes with intellectual content and strong growth potential across international markets.","15 : TECS supports early-stage Proof-of-Concept (POC) and Proof-of-Value (POV) projects of up to $250k and $500k respectively."],"footNoteQuestions":["8"],"questionNo":"8"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of HDB Flats Benefiting from Home Improvement Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for National Development in relation to the Home Improvement Programme, how many HDB flats will be allocated to benefit from this programme in each of the years from FY2013 to FY2015.
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Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) is a massive upgrading programme covering 300,000 flats. It aims to address common maintenance problems in ageing flats, such as spalling concrete and ceiling leakage, in a systematic and comprehensive manner.
If budget permits, HDB targets to select up to 28,000 flats in FY2013 and up to 35,000 flats per year in FY2014 and FY2015.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"One-Stop HDB and CPF Board Centre","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry will consider setting up a one-stop centre consisting of HDB and the CPF Board within HDB Hub and the HDB branches; and (b) how can HDB and the CPF Board work better to help HDB flat owners, prospective buyers and sellers improve their accessibility to assistance without having them shuttle to and from the branches of HDB and CPF Board.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: HDB does provide one-stop housing services to flat owners for CPF-related transactions at HDB Hub, HDB's 21 Branches and four Service Centres island-wide. These services include CPF withdrawal and refunds for mortgage loans, upgrading costs, new/resale flat transactions, and applications for Home Protection Insurance. The transactions are processed directly by HDB without flat owners, prospective buyers and sellers having to shuttle between HDB’s and CPF Board's offices. Customers can check their essential CPF information, such as CPF account balances, at HDB's e-Lobbies.
At the recent launch of the Silver Housing Bonus and Enhanced Lease Buyback Scheme, HDB and CPF Board also jointly launched a Call Centre hotline and enquiry counters at the HDB Hub to handle all enquiries pertaining to these schemes.
HDB and CPF Board will continue to work closely to streamline their inter-agency processes as part of their service improvement efforts.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"First-Time Buyers of BTO Flats in Mature Estates","subTitle":"Percentage of monthly income for payment of loans","sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development on average, what percentage of their monthly income do first-time buyers of BTO flats in mature estates use to pay off their housing loans.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Flats in mature estates typically can command higher prices, as compared to those in non-mature estates. There is stronger demand as buyers are prepared to pay more for the locational and other advantages.
Nevertheless, with the market discount and subsidies provided by HDB, first-timers buying BTO flats in mature estates use about 30% of their monthly income to service their housing loans. This is still within the international benchmark on housing affordability.
First-timers looking for more affordable homes can opt to buy new flats in the non-mature estates, which is the mainstay of the BTO programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Polling for Neighbourhood Renewal and Home Improvement Programmes for Hougang SMC","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many approved Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and Home Improvement Programme (HIP) projects are currently awaiting polling; and (b) when will the polling for NRP and HIP start for Hougang SMC.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Twenty-six Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and 25 Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) projects are pending polling and consensus gathering respectively. They include one HIP and one NRP project in Hougang SMC. Both were announced on 4 August 2012.
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For the Hougang HIP project, HDB called a tender in October 2012 and expects to award it soon.Thereafter, the project's Working Committee will conduct straw polls or walkabouts to survey residents' response, prepare the polling brochures, and construct mock-up flats, in preparation for polling. This process typically takes about six months.
For the Hougang NRP project, the Working Committee will need to appoint the design consultant and design the improvement items. It will conduct consensus gathering when it is ready.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Corrective Work Order for First-Time Littering Offenders","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"13 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry will consider imposing a Corrective Work Order for first-time offenders rather than a higher fine to deter people from littering.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The Corrective Work Order (CWO) regime was introduced in 1992 as a means to punish recalcitrant littering offenders and to increase the offenders' awareness of the broader impact of littering, including the difficulties faced by the cleaners. NEA's data shows that the CWO has been an effective deterrent against recalcitrant litterbugs as only 2.5% of those offenders who had served the CWO were caught littering again.
On Member Lim Biow Chuan's suggestion to impose a CWO on the first-time offenders, we had, in fact, considered this option recently when we reviewed the penalty regime for littering. After much consideration, we decided to impose a higher fine on first-time offenders and to retain the CWO as a punishment for more recalcitrant litter-bugs who require harsher measures to get them to change their behaviour. Since 2012, CWO has been performed at places where the littering offences take place for greater visibility and awareness. They have also been scheduled on weekdays instead of weekends, to make the CWO more onerous.
My Ministry will continue to persist with our education efforts, monitor the situation and review the penalty regime for littering again, if necessary.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singapore-China Relations after Change in Chinese Leadership","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"14 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether there will be any change in Singapore-China relations given the recent change in the Chinese leadership.
Mr K Shanmugam: The current state of good bilateral relations between Singapore and China should not be affected by the change of leadership. Singapore’s good relations with China are anchored by strong and regular institutional links, such as the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, as well as good personal relationships between our leaders and, most importantly, common national interests on a wide range of issues. This is evidenced by frequent high-level exchanges and close cooperation on issues of common interest, such as bilateral projects, for example, the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-city, and others at the provincial level, such as the Guangzhou Knowledge City and our Provincial Councils with provinces like Jiangsu and Sichuan. Business and people-to-people links are also robust. Many of the new Chinese leaders are already familiar with Singapore and our leaders. We look forward to continue working with them to strengthen ties between our two countries.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Community Health Assist Scheme","subTitle":"Extension to school-going children of eligible beneficiaries","sectionType":"WA","content":"15 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider extending the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) to the school-going children of eligible beneficiaries; (b) what is the current number of appeals received on CHAS applications; and (c) what are the grounds for deviation from existing criteria for appeals to be approved.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The primary focus of the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) is to help the lower-income elderly Singaporeans, especially those with chronic conditions. The Ministry of Health enhanced CHAS in January 2012 to benefit more Singaporeans, by lowering the age criterion for
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the scheme from 65 to 40 years old and relaxing the income criteria. Currently, we have about 240,000 Singaporeans on the scheme. We are monitoring the impact of these enhancements and will review the scheme again in due course.
Between January and November 2012, we have assessed around 530 appeals to join CHAS. Cases which do not meet the criteria but are deserving of help are reviewed carefully on a case-by-case basis. Mitigating factors, such as the severity of the appellants' medical condition, recent loss of job or pay cut, will be taken into consideration. Some 80% of the appeals are approved. For those not eligible for CHAS, they can still receive subsidised care at polyclinics.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for Polyclinic in Potong Pasir","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Health whether there are plans to open a polyclinic in Potong Pasir in the near future.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The primary care needs of the residents of Potong Pasir are served through Toa Payoh Polyclinic, as well as 46 GP and 25 Dental clinics in the Potong Pasir and Toa Payoh areas.
Toa Payoh Polyclinic, which is located less than 1.5 km from Potong Pasir, is the nearest polyclinic. It was renovated and expanded in 2010 to keep up with growing demand for care in the Potong Pasir and Toa Payoh areas. The polyclinic’s capacity was expanded with an increase in the number of consultation rooms, nursing rooms and allied health rooms.
To cater to the elderly patients living in the vicinity of the polyclinic, a new payment queue system has been implemented to allow elderly patients to sit and wait for their queue number to be called, instead of standing in line. Measures to improve patients' experience have also been made through an extension to the drop-off area, redesigned registration and waiting areas, as well as expanded laboratory and pharmacy areas, to better accommodate patient flow.
Aside from the polyclinic, Potong Pasir residents up to the median income and above the age of 40 years old can also take advantage of the enhanced Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) to enjoy subsidised health care services in 23 GP clinics and 16 dental clinics in the Potong Pasir and Toa Payoh
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areas that participate in the scheme.
We currently do not plan to have another polyclinic in the Potong Pasir-Toa Payoh area. Nevertheless, my Ministry will continually review our plans to ensure that the healthcare needs of the residents are met.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Increased National Healthcare Budget for the Elderly","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"17 Ms Mary Liew asked the Minister for Health whether the Government will consider (a) increasing the national healthcare budget so that the elderly will incur less out-of-pocket expenses; and (b) reviewing the cost and coverage of MediShield so that more elderly persons can be insured under the scheme.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: In line with changing needs of Singaporeans, the Ministry of Health has steadily increased the national healthcare budget to build new capacity, improve quality and enhance affordability. As stated in last year's Budget, we will be doubling our yearly healthcare budget from $4 billion in 2011 to about $8 billion in 2016.
Last year, we significantly enhanced subsidies and eligibility in the primary care and intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) sectors. These measures target additional help to the middle- and lower-income groups.
To help the elderly remain enrolled in MediShield, the Government will be providing a one-time Medisave top-up of up to $400 this year to offset the adjustments to their MediShield or Integrated Shield Plan premiums. In addition, from 2012, less well-off elderly Singaporeans will receive regular Medisave top-ups of up to $450 a year through GST Voucher for Medisave to help them with various healthcare expenses.
In MOH's on-going major review of our healthcare financing system, we will continue to keep healthcare affordable through the provision of heavy subsidies and the 3Ms (Medisave, MediShield, Medifund) financing framework.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Gang-Rape Victim Sent from India for Treatment in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"18 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Health (a) what role did the Ministry play in the bringing of the 23-year-old gang rape victim from India to Singapore for treatment; and (b) what is the Ministry's position on the acceptance of the critically-ill patient in view of allegations that India was passing the responsibility of treating the patient to Singapore.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: From time to time, patients are medically evacuated into Singapore for treatment. Such decisions are made following discussions between the hospital and those transferring the patient. My Ministry was not involved in this transfer. The Indian High Commission subsequently informed our Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the transfer to facilitate the patient's entry into Singapore.
All public and private hospitals in Singapore have protocols and standard operating procedures in place for receiving patients who are medically evacuated. The hospitals are not required to inform MOH when they accept patients transferred from foreign hospitals for management, except for those with infectious diseases where significant public health risks exist.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Provision of Sheltered or Underground Pedestrian Walkway Linking Marina Bay Station to Marina Bay Financial Centre and Surrounding New Developments","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry will provide a sheltered or underground pedestrian walkway linking Marina Bay Station to Marina Bay Financial Centre and the surrounding new developments; and (b) if so, when such facilities can be provided for the benefit of residents and people who work there.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: Due to the on-going construction of Downtown Line 1 and the Marina Coastal Expressway, the roads between Marina Bay Financial Centre and the Marina Bay Station will have to be realigned several times.
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To improve the walking experience for commuters, LTA will be providing temporary sheltered pedestrian link-ways along these roads in tandem with the road realignment works.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also has plans for an extensive underground pedestrian network (UPN) connecting the developments in Marina Bay to the nearby MRT stations, including Marina Bay Station. The UPN will be constructed progressively as the parcels of land around the stations are developed.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"COE Application Ratio between Private Individuals and Commercial Entities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"20 Mr Ong Teng Koon asked the Minister for Transport what is the ratio of applications for COEs in 2011 and 2012 between private individuals and commercial entities.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: The proportions of all COE bids16, in the name of private individuals and commercial entities, in 2011 and the first 11 months of 2012 are tabulated below.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["16 : These include both successful and unsuccessful COE bids."],"footNoteQuestions":["20"],"questionNo":"20"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Financing Options Open to NSmen for Education Courses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"21 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Education (a) for the past two years, how many National Servicemen (NSmen) with \"A\" level certificates or diplomas have used their NS Incentive Awards that are credited into their Post-Secondary Education Accounts (PSEA) to finance their education courses; (b) how many of them are currently pursuing degree courses at private institutions for non-MOE subsidised courses, excluding SIM and SMU; and (c) what are the financing options open to NSmen who intend to pursue undergraduate programmes at private institutions for non-MOE subsidised courses.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: The National Service Recognition Award (NSRA) was implemented in 2011, with a component of this monetary award going into the Post-Secondary Education Accounts (PSEAs) of eligible NSmen. Since then, about 61,000 NSmen have received an NSRA top-up to their PSEA. About 14,000, or 23% of them, have used the account to finance post-secondary education on Government-subsidised courses.
MOE does not capture data on the number of NSmen who are pursuing non-subsidised degree courses at private institutions, for which the PSEA cannot be used. These NSmen can tap on education loans offered by commercial banks or financial assistance schemes offered by the institutions themselves to finance their studies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"External Audits of NUS, NTU and SMU","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"22 Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the costs incurred for each of the past three external quality audits of NUS, NTU and SMU; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider shortening the external audits of the autonomous universities from once every five years to once every three years.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: The Quality Assurance Framework for Universities (QAFU) helps to enhance the quality of our universities through a systematic process involving institutional self-learning and external review. Under this framework, an External Review Panel is convened to conduct an independent evaluation of each university's self-assessment report and recommend areas for improvement by the university. The panel comprises independent local and
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international industry leaders, professionals and eminent academics. The universities are required to address the recommendations raised by the panel by following up with concrete action plans.
The QAFU is conducted once every five years so as to allow the university sufficient time to implement their action plans from the previous external audit. When QAFU was first launched in 2003, the intention was to do the audit once every three years. However, the feedback from members of the External Review Panel was that a three-year cycle was too short, as it did not allow enough time for the universities to implement the necessary changes after each round. A decision was subsequently made to conduct the audit once every five years instead.
The costs of each audit carried out on NUS, NTU and SMU between 2009 and 2011 ranged from $120,000 to $170,000. An audit typically lasts for five days and the bulk of the costs incurred is attributable to honoraria for the panel members, as well as air tickets, accommodation and local transportation for the international panel members.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Selection and Appointment of External Vendors to Conduct the Graduate Employment Survey for our Institutes of Higher Learning","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"23 Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Education whether there are any updates on the appointment of independent vendors to conduct the Graduate Employment Survey for our Institutes of Higher Learning and the basis for selecting the vendors.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: The Joint-Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey will be carried out by an independent survey company from 2012. This approach is similar to that for the Polytechnics' Joint-Graduate Employment Survey, for which an independent survey company has been appointed since 2005.
The tender to conduct the 2012 Polytechnics' Joint-Graduate Employment Survey was awarded in July this year, while the 2012 tender for the Autonomous Universities was awarded in October. For both tenders, the award was made on the basis that the successful bidder met all the tender
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specifications and provided the best value for money in terms of price, quality, timeliness and after-sales services.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Guidelines for Schools on Family Members Accompanying Teachers on School-Organised Local or Overseas Trips","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"24 Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has any guidelines for schools on family members accompanying their teachers, whether on a paying basis or not, on school-organised local or overseas trips; and (b) whether the presence of family members, especially children, on such trips puts teachers in situations of potential conflict of interests.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: Teachers accompany students on local or overseas learning journeys to care for and facilitate the various learning activities during the trip. This role requires much attention and effort from teachers.
Hence, the Ministry does not encourage teachers to bring their family members along on such trips. However, there may be extenuating circumstances that result in schools allowing teachers to have their family members on such trips. In doing so, schools must ensure that the teachers could still carry out their duties effectively, and any cost incurred by the family members must be borne by the teachers themselves.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Criteria Used for Renewal of Scholarship of International Scholars Sponsored by the Government","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"25 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Education with regard to international scholars sponsored by the Government (a) what criteria are used to determine scholarship renewal at pre-tertiary and tertiary levels respectively; (b) what is the frequency of review for each renewal of scholarship; (c) what is the minimum academic standard required to be achieved at each renewal; and (d) of the 3% of international scholars who had their scholarships terminated, how many were terminated based on academic performance.
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Mr Heng Swee Keat: International scholars are subject to stringent academic standards in order to continue receiving scholarship funding. International scholars in NUS, NTU and SUTD are required to maintain a Grade Point Average of 3.5 out of 5, and 3.4 out of 4, if they are in SMU. This is monitored every semester and is similar to the renewal criteria for the undergraduate scholarships for local students.
Similarly, pre-tertiary scholars have to achieve good promotional examination results, which would enable them to progress to the next level, in order for their scholarships to be renewed.
In addition, all scholars are expected to maintain a clean disciplinary record, with no unfavourable reports from their schools, universities or hostel staff.
Less than 2% of international scholars have had their scholarships terminated due to poor academic results.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Graduating Cohorts with T-Scores of 250 and Above","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"26 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Education with respect to the 2012 PSLE results, how many Primary schools had (a) more than 20% of its graduating cohort achieve T-scores of 250 and above; (b) less than 5% of its graduating cohort achieve T-scores of 250 and above.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: In the 2012 PSLE, 15 Primary schools had more than 20% of its graduating cohort attaining T-scores of 250 and above, and 61 Primary schools had less than 5% of its graduating cohort attaining T-scores of 250 and above. Almost all Primary schools nurtured students who attained T-scores of 250 and above.
The quality of a primary school is not measured by the number of its students who attain high PSLE T-scores. Instead, our Primary schools seek to understand the profile and needs of their students, develop each student holistically, in academic and non-academic areas, and prepare them for further education and for life. This lays a strong foundation for all students to develop to their fullest potential.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Academic Performance of Government-Sponsored International Students in Autonomous Universities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"27 Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Education over the past five years, what is the percentage of Government-sponsored international students in our autonomous universities that graduated with (a) bachelor's degrees, (b) Third Class Honours, (c) Second Class Honours, Lower Division, (d) Second Class Honours, Upper Division and (e) First Class Honours.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: On the average, over the past five years, about 30% of the international students who had scholarships received First Class Honours. Another 35% received Second Class (Upper) Honours, and a fifth obtained Second Class (Lower) Honours. The remaining 15% of the IS scholars graduated with either a Third Class Honours or without honours.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Evaluation of Requests for Special Allowances for Students Sitting National Examinations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"28 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Education (a) what process is in place to evaluate requests for special allowances (for example, having extra time) for students sitting national examinations, such as the Primary School Leaving Examination and the GCE \"O\" and \"A\" Level Examinations; (b) over the last 10 years, whether there has been any uptrend in such requests annually; (c) what are the typical allowances given for approved requests; and (d) whether the result slips/certificates of students given special allowances are specially annotated and, if so, what is the rationale for such annotation and whether such annotation will adversely affect the student's progression and employment prospects.
Mr Heng Swee Keat: Generally, there are two categories of applications for special arrangements for students sitting for national examinations. Applications for access arrangements by students with sensory and physical disabilities are reviewed by qualified medical specialists. Applications from students with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism, are evaluated by an MOE panel of education psychologists, based on each candidate's specific needs. Students and parents are informed at the point of
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application that the result slips and certificates will be annotated.
Over the past 10 years, the number of applications from students with physical and sensory disabilities has remained relatively stable at less than 1.5% of candidates for all examination levels. The number of requests for access arrangements for learning disabilities has increased to about 2% of candidates for all examination levels.
Access arrangements that involve significant modification of the examination are annotated. These include exemption from a component in a subject (for example, oral examination); extended time17; exemption from answering certain types of questions, for example, questions with graphic stimulus or questions related to measurements, constructions and drawings, tessellations and symmetry; and special assistance through the use of readers or scribes.
These access arrangements are granted to enable candidates with special needs access to the national examinations, by giving them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities and receive recognition for their academic achievements. Standardised testing condition is an important principle of fair examinations. When testing conditions are altered for students with special needs, it has to be done in an even-handed, fair and transparent manner.
The annotation practice is not intended to indicate a disability or discriminate against the test taker. It indicates that a student has taken the examination under conditions that are different from those who take the examinations under the standard prescribed conditions. No detail of the student’s condition and access arrangements appear on the certificate. The annotation does not affect students' progression to the next level of study.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["17 : Usually up to an extension of 25% of the duration of the test for most candidates; up to an extension of 100% of the duration of the test for visually handicapped candidates."],"footNoteQuestions":["28"],"questionNo":"28"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singaporean Children in Foster Care Homes, Children's Homes and Orphanages Eligible and Hoping for Adoption","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"29 Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Acting Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the number of Singaporean children in foster care homes, children's homes and orphanages in Singapore who are currently eligible and hoping for adoption; and (b) what are the measures in place, if any, to promote adoption in Singapore.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Children who are unable to remain with their families for various reasons are placed in foster care or in children's homes on a temporary basis. Between 2007 and 2011, about 750 children were placed in foster care or admitted into children’s homes.
Efforts will be made to first reintegrate these children back with their parents or extended families. Where reintegration is not in the best interest of the child, such as where there are serious risks to their safety and well-being, alternative care arrangements, including adoption will be explored. Adoption is also considered for children who were abandoned or where their family could not be traced. The number of children in foster care and children's homes who are adopted yearly is small. Between 2007 and 2011, 37 of such children were adopted.
Adoption is a lifelong commitment and adopters must be suitable and also prepared to undertake the responsibilities and challenges in adopting and raising a child. Pre-adoption briefings are provided to prospective adopters so that they can make an informed decision. Where couples have decided on adoption, we facilitate the process and, at the same time, undertake the necessary measures to establish the suitability of the adoptive parents and that adoption by the prospective adopters would be in the child's best interest in the long term.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reports Involving Women Being Dismissed or Discriminated Against During Work Appraisals","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"30 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Acting Minister for Manpower for each of the years from 2003-2012 (a) what is the number of reports received involving women being dismissed or discriminated against during work appraisals; and (b) what are the key reasons for such dismissal and discrimination.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The Employment Act (EA) protects employees against unfair dismissal. Under the Act, female employees are further protected from unfair dismissal during their pregnancy. The Act also ensures that female employees are entitled to paid maternity leave and prohibits their dismissal when they are on maternity leave. Female employees who feel that they have been unfairly dismissed may appeal to the Minister for Manpower. Enforcement action has been and will continue to be taken against employers who breach the law.
Since 2007, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has received annually an average of about 70 cases from female employees who felt that they had been unfairly dismissed. 70% involved women who were pregnant.
The majority of these dismissal cases are not clear-cut cases of unfair dismissal or discrimination. This is due to the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of the employee which invariably involve work-related issues, such as misconduct or poor work performance on the part of the employee. In most cases, both the employee and employer are unable to clearly substantiate whether the dismissal was with or without sufficient cause. In such cases, MOM helps to mediate a resolution between the parties. Almost all of such disputes are amicably resolved through mediation.
Over the same period (since 2007), the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) received eight complaints from women who felt that they were being discriminated against at the workplace because of their gender. Seven of these were at the pre-employment stage and against discriminatory job advertisements. The sole complaint from a woman in employment was over her non-confirmation after her probation period. To date, the employers approached by TAFEP following complaints on discriminatory recruitment practices have heeded TAFEP's advice given with reference to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.
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Women employees are an integral part of our workforce. It is important for employers to attract and retain the best talent for the job by hiring and treating their employees fairly based on merit and the requirements of the job. Employers should also adopt appraisal systems which are fair and objective, with measurable standards for evaluating job performance. By practising fair employment, employers will have access to a wider talent pool, as well as boost their employees’ morale and productivity. Job seekers and employees who feel they have been discriminated against may approach TAFEP for assistance. Employers who require help in implementing fair employment practices at the workplace may also approach TAFEP.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Qualification Criteria for Personalised Employment Pass Applicants","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"31 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Acting Minister for Manpower in view of the policy to tighten the inflow of foreign talent under the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) (a) what are the criteria used to assess if an applicant's skills qualify him for a PEP; (b) how many PEP holders are currently performing support staff functions; and (c) how many PEPs were issued over the past three years.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) affords the foreign professional some temporary degree of flexibility on top of the Employment Pass (EP) framework, if he meets our requirements. Unlike the typical EP holder, PEP holders have up to six months to move between jobs to facilitate their continued stay and contributions in Singapore. In addition, the PEP is only issued once for a limited duration of five years and is non-renewable.
Thus, given the additional privilege the PEP accords, the qualifying requirements for the PEP are higher. MOM uses salary as a key criterion to assess a foreigner's eligibility for the PEP as it acts as a proxy for his contributions, expertise and calibre.
In line with the recent moves to raise the quality of EP holders, we have also raised the qualifying criteria for the PEP. From 1 December 2012, P1 Pass holders who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000 and overseas-based foreign professionals whose last drawn fixed monthly salary was at least
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$18,000 will be eligible for the PEP.
As at June 2012, there were 12,000 PEP holders. Based on PEP holders' declared occupations, a small minority of 1% were performing support staff functions. On average, around 3,000 PEPs were issued annually from 2010 to 2012. We will continue to review the PEP scheme regularly for relevancy, taking into consideration the changing operating environment and needs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Emolument Criteria for S Pass Applicants","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"32 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) why are bonuses and allowances not taken into account in determining whether an applicant qualifies for an S Pass; and (b) whether the Ministry will review its policy to include bonuses and allowances as part of the emolument of an S Pass applicant.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: For the S Pass and Employment Pass (EP), we use an applicant’s fixed monthly salary as one of the main criteria to determine their eligibility for a work pass. It is a proxy for the applicant's quality and economic contribution to Singapore.
As our work passes are valid for two to three years, it is important to assess an applicant’s eligibility based on factors that are consistent throughout the period of employment and can be reliably declared upfront when the work pass application is made.
Therefore, only salary components that are paid regularly and do not vary on a monthly basis may be included in the fixed monthly salary. In practice, this means basic salary and fixed monthly allowances.
We do not consider variable payments, such as bonuses, variable allowances or commissions, in the fixed monthly salary. This is because some foreign employees would end up not earning those payments, due to their variable nature (for example, due to poor performance in the case of bonuses). They may then fall below the minimum salary criteria to be eligible for their work pass and its accompanying privileges. Including variable payments will also make it easy for employers who want to game the system to declare a high performance-based salary, but pay much less on the grounds that the worker
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did not attain the performance targets. This undermines our work pass framework and may lead to foreign workers entering at much lower salaries than local workers.
Companies can refer to http//www.mom.gov.sg for MOM's rules on salary components that can be included as part of qualifying salaries for S Pass and EP applications.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Foreign Worker Levy Rates","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"33 Ms Tan Su Shan asked the Acting Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider adjusting the foreign worker levy rates according to the sector's strategic importance to the local economy and the sector's dependence on foreign workers, taking into account the impact this has on local inflation rates.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The Foreign Worker Levy (FWL) is one amongst several levers used to manage the number of foreign workers (FWs) in Singapore. It operates as a pricing mechanism. Given our physical infrastructural constraints, and the restructuring of our economy to grow in a manner that can be less reliant on manpower, we have announced a schedule for FWL increases until July 2013. Raising the cost of foreign labour will encourage companies to consider investing in technology or equipment, which they would be more hesitant to pursue, if the cost of getting more workers is cheaper than the cost of capital. Singapore has reached a stage where we need to move away from a labour-intensive mode of growth which is not sustainable. There are several factors that we considered in adjusting FW levy rates; whether productivity has improved, the rate of FW growth, and local wages. Sectors that continue to rely heavily on FWs have stagnating wages for locals, or, with the greatest scope for productivity improvements, have been subjected to higher FWL increases.
We are aware of the concerns that FWL increases could have an impact on domestic inflation. However, we need to send a clear signal to companies that do not choose to restructure and continue to rely heavily on FWs for their business operations. The Government will also continue to provide assistance to companies that are motivated to embark on productivity improvements. We have already introduced several measures to help these companies, such as
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through the Innovation and Capability Voucher, and the Productivity and Innovation Credit. These measures help to moderate some of the cost pressures that companies face, and ease their transition towards raising overall productivity.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Workfare Income Supplement Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"34 Mr Laurence Lien asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) for an update on the implementation of the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme, specifically, (i) the total number of recipients in each of the last five years; and (ii) the total disbursements, in cash and to the recipient's CPF accounts, in each of the last five years; and (b) what the considerations are for reviewing its adequacy.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme was introduced in 2007 to supplement the wages and CPF savings of low-income workers, as well as to encourage them to work regularly. Employees receive WIS in cash and in their CPF accounts in the ratio of 1:2.5. Self-employed persons receive WIS entirely in their CPF Medisave account. The number of WIS recipients and the total amount of WIS due to them for work done from 2007 to 201118 are in Tables 1 and 2 below:
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WIS targets full-time income earners in the bottom 20% but benefits are extended (at reducing rates) to cover earners up to around the 30th percentile. In 2010, WIS was enhanced, with both its payout quantum and income cap increased. In 2012, the payment frequency to employees was increased from twice to four times a year. MOM will review WIS in 2013.
In reviewing WIS, we will take into account changes in income levels and inflation, bearing in mind that the level of assistance should be meaningful yet continue to encourage individual effort and responsibility. It is also important to continue striking an appropriate balance between giving recipients cash to help with their immediate needs and CPF to help with their retirement adequacy. WIS is a permanent social transfer mechanism. Ensuring it is structured to be effective while fiscally sustainable, and targeted at those who need it most are, therefore, also important considerations.
In helping low-income workers, a holistic approach is adopted. WIS is an important component but only one of several schemes aimed at helping the individuals and their families. ComCare and Medifund, for example, play critical roles in supporting this group of Singaporeans as well.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["18 : Figures for 2012 are not yet available."],"footNoteQuestions":["34"],"questionNo":"34"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Unemployment Rate among Singapore Citizens","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"35 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Acting Minister for Manpower what is the unemployment rate among Singapore citizens, broken down by Chinese, Malay, Indian and other races.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: The Government provides statistics on the economic status of residents by race every five years, via DOS' publications on Census of Population or General Household Survey. Based on the 2010 population census, the unemployment rates for Chinese, Malay and Indian residents in 2010 were 3.9%, 5.7% and 5.2% respectively.
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