1 Mr Nicholas Fang asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether the results of the 2013 Southeast Asian Games will lead to (i) any adjustments to the $40 million Sports Excellence Scholarship scheme to include more athletes from lesser known sports; and (ii) a decision to focus on a smaller number of sports to ensure the best chances of achieving results at major games such as the Olympics.
\tThe Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): The Government is committed to supporting the aspirations of talented Singaporeans who wish to excel in their chosen sports.
Our High Performance Sports system, introduced in 2013, provides support to more than 1,000 carded athletes across 50 sports. On top of this, we recently introduced the SpEx Scholarships to enable our top and promising athletes to train full-time. The inaugural batch of scholarships was awarded to 64 athletes across 15 sports in September last year. We expect to award more scholarships this year for talented athletes who wish to pursue full-time training. Based on the performances in the recent SEA Games, there are several promising candidates and we look forward to receiving their applications. The $40 million Sports Excellence budget, which Mr Fang mentioned, already provides for this.
The High Performance Sports system and the Sports Excellence (SpEx) Scholarship programme under it are intended to support athletes with the potential and ability to excel at the international level, across all sports. We provide targeted levels of support according to how well the athletes have performed, how far they can go, and how much they are willing to commit to training. We also set clear performance requirements for these athletes, and if there are athletes who do not measure up, then funding support will cease. Hence the support is tied strictly to individual performance, and not to the type or number of sports.
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\tMr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, one clarification and supplementary question. Given the recent performances at the 2013 SEA Games and given that it followed very shortly on from the awarding of the SpEx scholarships, perhaps it is a little bit premature to use that as a benchmark as to how the athletes in this first batch performed. Given that the 2015 SEA Games, the 2016 Olympics and subsequent competitions are coming up very shortly, is there a need on the part of the Ministry to want to focus a little bit more to ensure that we attain those high performance results, with a more targeted approach, perhaps not such a broad spectrum as 15 sports?
\tMr Lawrence Wong: Mdm Speaker, I would say that we are, indeed, looking at the range of sports and discussing very closely with each National Sports Association (NSA) to see how they can identify athletes in the sports that will be featured in the SEA Games to make sure that they are well prepared to achieve good results during the SEA Games. We are, indeed, taking that focused approach in preparing our athletes and working with the NSAs for the SEA Games.
The Member talked about the performance of the SEA Games in relation to the High Performance Sports system which was recently introduced and the Sports Excellence (SpEx) Scholarship. It is not related because the SpEx programme just started. So, we cannot say because of this, therefore, the results we saw in the recent SEA Games. I wish it were so. But the results of the SEA Games were the results of the years of training and investment that have been put in by the respective NSAs, through the support of the Singapore Sports Council (SSC). With this additional injection that we are putting in now through the SpEx Scholarship and the High Performance Sports system, we think that that would prepare us even better for SEA Games 2015.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Sale of Tickets for Concerts","subTitle":"Protecting consumers when concerts are cancelled","sectionType":"OA","content":"2 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether the Government will consider regulating the organisation of concerts and other events to ensure that ticket charges paid by consumers will be secured in the event of a cancellation of the concert or event.
The Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mdm Speaker, currently, the purchase of tickets for concerts
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and other events is covered under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. This provides recourse to consumers who are aggrieved by unfair practices to pursue civil action through the Small Claims Tribunal.
Most concert tickets are currently sold through Sistic, which is the ticketing agent with the main share of our local market. Sistic retains the revenues from ticket sales for most events until they are over, making exceptions only for event promoters with a proven track record. This practice by Sistic to retain the revenue from ticket sales allows Sistic to provide refunds should there be a cancellation. The private consortium operating the Sports Hub has recently introduced a new ticketing system called Sports Hub Tix, which will also adopt a similar practice as Sistic.
For these reasons, there may not be a need to introduce new regulatory measures at this stage. Instead, the preferred approach is to push industry self regulation and to raise consumer awareness. In this regard, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has been actively educating consumers about the importance of checking terms and conditions when buying concert tickets.
\tMr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Mdm Speaker, a few questions for clarification. I wanted to ask, firstly, whether the Acting Minister would agree that the closure of a company that organises K-pop concerts would adversely impact Singapore's reputation as a suitable venue for future concerts or shows; secondly, whether the Acting Minister would agree that such a liquidation of the company would hurt consumer confidence; thirdly, whether the Government would investigate the management of the company to see whether there had been any breach of the Companies Act whereby the officers of the company had contracted debt without expecting the concert to be performed; and fourthly, whether the Government would hold the company's officers personally liable for such events?
\tMr Lawrence Wong: The cancellation of events is not something that can be completely avoided. Even in major markets like London and New York, you do see cancelations. If we look at the cancellations that we have had over the past year, the number that we have is not large. From what we can see, we have had five cancellations throughout the whole of 2013. Most of the events have had refunds of ticket sales.
In this particular case with the Korean pop concert that was mentioned, as the Member highlighted, the company went bankrupt, and so, not all of the
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ticket sales were refunded fully to consumers who had made the purchase.
On the specifics of the company, I do not have the full information of what happened within the company and whether the officers in the company had contracted debt, as the Member had mentioned, or whether there were commercial practices which were found to be not appropriate. That is something that will have to be investigated, but I do not have the information at this stage.
\tMr Lim Biow Chuan: I would like to ask the Acting Minister whether he is aware that Sistic would be refunding the ticket sales to the consumers of the affected cancelled K-pop concert.
\tMr Lawrence Wong: The answer is, \"Yes\". As I mentioned, Sistic keeps the ticket revenues and holds them until the event is over. Because Sistic has that practice, it is able to refund all the revenues it has held to the consumers who bought tickets for that particular Korean pop concert, through Sistic.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Awareness of MediFund","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"3 Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Health how do polyclinics and Government hospitals raise the awareness of Medifund among patients.
\tThe Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for Health): Mdm Speaker, Medifund is an endowment fund set up in 1993 to help needy Singaporeans who are unable to afford their medical expenses in spite of heavy subsidies, MediShield and Medisave coverage. Over the years, we have increased the annual amount of Medifund assistance to reach almost $100 million last year, and have also expanded its scope to cover more services.
To create greater awareness of Medifund, information on Medifund is publicised through brochures available at the hospitals, and we will also make them available at the polyclinics where Medifund was extended to recently. We also encourage patients and their families who face difficulties with their medical bills to approach the medical social workers at the public hospitals and polyclinics, or speak to healthcare professionals caring for them. Hospital and polyclinic staff may also take the initiative to approach patients to ask if they are in need of assistance, if they observe patients having difficulties making
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payment, especially during financial counselling.
\tMr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines): Mdm Speaker, there have been anecdotal accounts of patients or their families having to sell their flats or take up loans in order to pay hospital bills. I have also heard of patients who go to polyclinics, but do not have the money to pay for the full prescription and instead asked for shorter duration of the course of medicine. It seems that there are still people who are not aware that Government has put in a lot of money to help patients in need.
I would like to ask whether MOH can work out an SOP rather than just leaving it to individual initiative, given the heavier patient load in the hospitals nowadays. An SOP for all Government hospitals to give out leaflets on Medifund upon patients' admission and for hospitals and polyclinics to display notices in four languages at the cashier counters to inform the public that they can ask to see the medical social worker to apply for Medifund when they have financial difficulties.
\tAssoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to thank the Member for his suggestion. I would like to assure the Member that, as mentioned in my reply earlier, we will continue to improve our outreach efforts to fellow Singaporeans to see how they can get assistance. We have increased assistance. If we look at the financial assistance we provided in Financial Year 2012, total financial assistance given to Medifund-accredited institutions increased by 12.2%, from $90.8 million in FY2011 to $101.9 million in FY2012.
Beyond that, I have also come across Singaporeans who have been helped through the Medifund scheme, as well as in my engagement with the Medifund Committee members. They have shared with me inspiring stories of how Medifund has helped fellow Singaporeans in their medical bills as well as getting them to get medical treatment.
I would like to urge Members of the House to help in this outreach exercise. If Members hear of anyone with difficulties paying their medical bills, let us know and we will see how we can help further. We want to make sure that Singaporeans receive the appropriate treatment.
\tDr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar): Mdm Speaker, like the hon Member Mr Baey Yam Keng, I have also come across cases where patients and my residents have said that sometimes, they are not aware of where to go to for financial
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assistance. For example, some of them may not have even heard of the medical social work department. My supplementary question is whether MOH intends to start a campaign or put in place a programme to publicise the various avenues of financial assistance available to patients of both public hospitals and polyclinics.
\tAssoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Again, Madam, I thank the Member for his suggestion and feedback. It is similar to Mr Baey Yam Keng's supplementary question earlier. I would take this back to my Ministry.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Accidents Involving Cyclists and Pedestrians","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"4 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians are reported in the past three years; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider reviewing the current laws to allow people who are injured by cyclists to seek redress without taking a civil suit.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mdm Speaker, from 2011 to 2013, there was an average of 10 reported accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians each year. These accidents generally occurred along the pedestrian pathways and at pedestrian crossings. The Traffic Police (TP) has taken the cyclists responsible for the accidents to task under the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules and relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Act.
Currently, an injured person can initiate civil action if the accident was caused by the negligent conduct of other road users. Other options of redress include making an insurance claim, mediation and private settlement. In general, these avenues provide adequate means for persons who suffer injury in such accidents to claim compensation. TP and LTA will continue monitoring the situation to assess the need for additional remedies to address the Member's concern. Both agencies will also continue to improve cycling infrastructure and education measures in respect of both cyclists and pedestrians.
\tEr Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, I am sure the number on the ground is much higher than that because I have been receiving feedback
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very regularly. Recently, one of my resident's arms were badly injured. She reported to the Police and the Police said that she had to take a civil suit, as Senior Minister of State mentioned just now. She was told to either take out a civil suit or make an insurance claim.
I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State if the Ministry can review the legal framework in such a way that errant cyclists who caused injuries, be prosecuted without going through a civil suit. How many residents would like to take that path because it involves costs? The second question is on the insurance claim: claim from whose insurance, I would like to ask.
\tMr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The civil suit has to do with claiming for damages whereas prosecuting the offender for the offence has to do with the act itself. For those pedestrian cases, we have been charging them under various Acts. But certainly, for the most egregious cases where serious injury is caused, we can also use the Penal Code to invoke against the cyclist offender to charge them under the rash Negligent Act. Under this Act, a fine of up to $10,000 or a jail term can be meted out. It would depend on the kind of injuries, the circumstances and the evidence we can bring against the offender. That is not the same as what compensation the pedestrian can claim against the cyclist. It is quite separate – the act of prosecuting and the act of getting compensation.
\tEr Dr Lee Bee Wah: I think the Senior Minister of State did not answer my second question. When he mentioned claiming from insurance, if let say the cyclist currently does not have insurance, so whose insurance can the pedestrian claim from? The other question is the reply from the Police to the residents. Normally, they would say, \"There is nothing that we can do.\" Perhaps something can be done to brief the Police properly, so that the residents would not walk away thinking that they are always at the losing end.
\tMr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Certainly. There are cyclists who are insured. In cases where the cyclists are insured, you can claim against the cyclist. When they are not insured, that is where the civil suit would have to take place to get the injury claims against the damages. As for the Police, we would take that on board to make sure the communications with the complainants are carried out properly. In times when they are injured, Police should not cause further injury by giving them information which is not helping the case.
Mdm Speaker: Dr Lee, last question.
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\tEr Dr Lee Bee Wah: Currently, insurance for cyclists is not compulsory. So, will the Ministry make this compulsory, so that when someone is injured by cyclists, they can claim the insurance from the cyclists?
\tMr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Unfortunately, insurance is under the purview of LTA and the Member may like to direct the question to LTA.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Zero Tolerance towards Bullying in Schools","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"5 Mr Laurence Lien asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry supports adopting and enforcing a zero tolerance policy towards bullying in schools.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Mr Hawazi Daipi) (for the Minister for Education): Madam, MOE and schools are committed to high standards of discipline. We do not tolerate bullying in any form, and schools have in place a system and measures to support a safe, conducive environment for learning.
When incidents of bullying occur, these should be brought to the attention of the school authorities. Schools will take immediate action to investigate and assess all reported cases. Appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken against students who commit the act of bullying. Schools also support the affected students and help those involved learn from the incident.
Our schools educate students on bullying through both the formal curriculum as well as school-based programmes. Through the curriculum, schools emphasise the importance of values such as respect, responsibility and resilience. Students are also taught skills to handle challenging situations. The new Character and Citizenship Education curriculum specifically teaches students to report cases and seek help and to care for others. Anti-bullying awareness programmes, organised in many schools, empower students to help themselves and support their peers who are bullied.
To support teachers and school counsellors in managing bullying in schools, MOE has provided all schools with a \"School Bullying Management Kit\". The kit enhances school personnel's knowledge on how to manage bullying and support students who have been bullied.
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Schools also engage the families and the community on bullying prevention. For example, the Singapore Children's Society conducts bullying awareness programme for students and training workshop for teachers and school counsellors. In addition, MOE collaborates with agencies and other Ministries through the Inter-Ministry Cyber Wellness Steering Committee (ICSC) in supporting cyber wellness efforts to address the cyber bullying and other cyber-related issues.
\tMr Laurence Lien (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether the Ministry would consider more specific anti-bullying school policies to draw more attention to bullying in schools. Bullying should not just be one out of many disciplinary issues in schools. It should be especially called out.
I also would like to ask whether there is a regular gathering of statistics on bullying in schools. If so, what are the trends? If not, is it a sign that the Ministry itself is under-estimating the extent of bullying which seems to be actually quite serious, from the reports and publications of some of the Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) and from studies done previously?
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, I appreciate the concern of the Member on the importance of managing bullying in schools. I would like to assure the Member that schools and the Ministry are working very closely to help our students to manage bullying through reporting bullying cases, through helping those who have been bullied, and schools also help those who bully others.
As I said earlier, MOE and schools' approach are multi-pronged. We try to prevent bullying; we intervene in cases of bullying; we infuse bullying awareness though our curriculum; we support schools by providing them with resources, and we conduct courses and seminars for teachers in collaboration with other agencies. I think what we have been doing has been helpful.
\tMr Laurence Lien: I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the numbers. Do we have the numbers on bullying? Has it gotten better or worse?
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: We have got Health Promotion Board (HPB) to conduct a student health survey. In 2006, for example, we found certain incidents of bullying as indicated by students; whether they have seen bullying incidents in the last few months before the survey. We do not conduct surveys regularly but, periodically, working with other agencies, like HPB, we do collate information
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on incidents or perceptions towards bullying.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Grading Standards at NTU's School of Art, Design and Media","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"6 Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Education regarding the normalisation of grading standards at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University (a) what were the reasons for having different grading standards from the rest of the university previously and for the change to normalised distribution now; (b) whether other Government-funded universities have courses with different grading standards and, if so, whether they will be normalised; and (c) how this move supports the Ministry's policy of encouraging different measures and peaks of excellence.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Mr Hawazi Daipi) (for the Minister for Education): Madam, in our Universities, general grading guidelines are in place to minimise disparity in standards of marking among different lecturers. However, for courses that are of a unique nature, course coordinators retain the flexibility to deviate from these grading guidelines where necessary. For example, course coordinators are allowed to modify the grading guidelines for courses with small class sizes, unique class profile and pedagogy. This allows the course coordinators to customise the grading guidelines for each course with the aim of ensuring a comparable level of academic rigour across the courses.
Following a regular internal grade audit by NTU's College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) was reminded of the need for consistency in grading across different modules and to guard against grade inflation. However, course coordinators for selected modules in ADM still retain the flexibility to deviate from the university-wide grading policy, so long as they have compelling reasons for grading these modules differently.
To ensure a more holistic assessment of students, our Universities continue to pay close attention to, and tailor their grading criteria to the unique features of each course. For parity in grading amongst courses, independent committees at our Universities also monitor grade distribution and ensure that the grading standards applied are reasonable. The current grading principles at our universities remain aligned to the MOE's policy of encouraging different peaks
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of excellence.
\tMr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines): Can I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary, in the case of the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) at NTU, is it a matter of a change in the grading system or is it about a reminder for the course coordinators to be more stringent or more systematic in the way they exercise their flexibility?
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, there is no change in the system. The school was reminded of the general policy and the need to ensure that there continues to be a standard form of assessment and grading and to ensure that there is no grade inflation. So, in general, well, they adhere to the general policy of the college and university. It is a reminder to the school of the importance of general adherence to the University policy while at the same time, allowing them to customise or to grade based on the characteristics of the students of the course of ADM.
\tMr Baey Yam Keng: Thank you, Mdm Speaker. The media reported that students of the school received emails informing them of a change in the scoring system. But based on the Senior Parliamentary Secretary's reply, that does not seem to be the case, because there is no change in the scoring system. If that is the case, perhaps NTU might want to assure the students because I believe that caused some concerns among students of the school.
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, I believe in the next few weeks, the school and the college will engage students. School has just reopened and I am sure they will engage students.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Appointment of Education Officers at Substantive Job Grade","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"7 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current percentage breakdown of education officers who are Principals, Vice Principals and heads of departments who are at the substantive job grade that is equivalent to their appointment; (b) what is the percentage of (i) appointment holders who are still not in their potential substantive grade even after five years of holding the appointment (ii) school leaders who retired at the substantive grade below their appointment; and (c) what are the reasons for not appointing
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these education officers at the correct substantive grade.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Mr Hawazi Daipi) (for the Minister for Education): Madam, MOE is guided by the Civil Service's Human Resource philosophies and principles. In the Civil Service, job grades are used to determine the size of a job. Officers are required to spend some years in their current substantive grade so that they can continue to grow in their skills and knowledge to become fully competent at this level. Once the officers are assessed to have the potential to take on a higher level job, they will also be tested out at a higher level job. They will be promoted to that job level after they have proven to be capable of doing well at that level.
Notwithstanding this, a few school leaders could retire at substantive grades below their appointments for a variety of reasons, such as early retirement due to medical conditions or family commitments, or due to performance issues. In 2013, one out of 14 Principals and Vice Principals who retired was at a substantive grade below his/her appointment.
MOE is committed to developing our officers and ensuring that good officers are duly recognised and rewarded. We have put in place a competitive remuneration framework and structured career development pathways, so that we can retain our best educators and nurture them into the school leaders of tomorrow.
\tMr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol): I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply, but I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has not answered specifically the questions that are addressed in my PQ. The question is already there. I would appreciate a specific response to the PQ.
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, I would appreciate if the Member is specific about what he wants MOE to follow up with.
\tMr Zainal Sapari: To ask the Minister for Education (a) what is the current percentage breakdown of education officers who are Principals, Vice Principals and heads of departments who are at the substantive grade that is equivalent to their job appointment. So, I need a figure for each of these grades; (b) What is the percentage of (i) appointment holders who are still not in their potential substantive grade even after five years of holding the appointment; (ii) school leaders who retired at the substantive grade below their appointment, which I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has provided one out of 14. And he has also provided what are the reasons for not appointing these education
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officers at the correct substantive grade.
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, we do not think it is useful to give the figures but I have outlined the principles and policies with regard to remuneration and appointment of key officers in service. By extension, the majority of our Principals and Vice Principals retired at substantive grade of their appointment or above their appointment.
\tMr Zainal Sapari: I had been with the education service for 20 years and I feel that the current HR policy is not right from the employees' point of view. As a matter of principle, would MOE agree that education officers must be paid according to their job worth?
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, that is what I said in my reply.
\tMr Zainal Sapari: Last question. Then, as a matter of good HR policy and not to be seen as underpaying its officers, can MOE consider changing its policy and promote education officers holding official appointments related to their core responsibility to the correct substantive grade within a reasonable timeframe, for example, three years from their official appointment? I personally have come across many cases of education officers who are still not at their correct substantive grade even after five years of holding that appointment.
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, we appoint officers who have performed well and who have the potential to hold higher grade jobs, and we give them the opportunity to exercise leadership and demonstrate their capabilities. So, depending again on their potential and performance, they will be promoted as necessary and be remunerated based on the worth of the job.
Mdm Speaker: Mr Zainal Sapari, this is the last question.
\tMr Zainal Sapari: Thank you, Madam. I believe when an officer is appointed to the appointment, he or she has demonstrated competency to hold that position and it should not be the other way around.
\tMr Hawazi Daipi: Madam, the fact that many officers have been appointed as principals and vice-principals indicates that they have the capability and the potential. How they perform in the job is another matter. So, again depending on the assessment of their potential and performance, they
\tPage: 20
may get promoted early or not that early, as assessed by their superiors. So, what we want to do is actually pay our officers accordingly based on their capabilities and the job grade that they are on and try to retain our good officers for as long as possible in service because, certainly, as a whole, our teaching force has contributed enormously to the education of our children and we want to make sure that this continues.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Granting of Public Entertainment Category One Licences","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"The following questions stood in the name of Ms Janice Koh –
8 To\task the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how are Public Entertainment (PE) Category One licences for music and entertainment establishments assessed, granted and renewed; (b) whether there is a quota for such licences in each precinct or neighbourhood; and (c) if so, how does the Ministry assess the relative merits of renewing the licences of incumbent businesses against awarding licences to new players.
9 To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) why the \"live\" music venue, Broadcast HQ, is denied a Public Entertainment (PE) Category One licence while other entertainment outlets like KTV lounges are allowed to operate under such a licence on the same street; and (b) when assessing licence applications and renewals, whether consideration can be given to an establishment's potential to promote the local music industry and enhance the vibrancy and attractiveness of a precinct or neighbourhood.
\tMr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member): Question No 8.
\tThe Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr S Iswaran) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mdm Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 8 and 9 together?
Mdm Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr S Iswaran: Madam, in considering and approving public entertainment licences, the Police works with other relevant Government agencies and they take into account and consideration a variety of factors, such as the background of the applicants, the law and order situation and the potential disamenities to the neighbourhood. There is currently no stipulated cap per se on the total
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number of licences in any particular area as the density and mix of developments and activities can vary significantly. Police, however, does review the situation at various localities regularly to see if additional controls should be put in place.
For the renewal of existing licences, Police also takes into account the track record and infringement history of the licence holder. Outlets that have a good record and do not attract adverse feedback from the local community will, generally, be allowed to continue their operations.
The Member had asked specifically about Broadcast HQ. The Broadcast HQ is located along Rowell Road in Little India. It has been granted a Category Two public entertainment licence which allows the transmission of recorded music. Since 2012, given the incidence of vice and other considerations, Police has stopped issuing new Category One public entertainment licences, and this category of licences would permit live music and dancing in establishments located in that area.
We will continue to calibrate our regulation to strike a balance between the need to maintain law and order, minimise disamenities to the local community and facilitate business and the growth of the arts industry.
\tMr Nicholas Fang: Madam, one supplementary question. Would the Ministry consider engaging other agencies, such as National Arts Council or STB, to be able to provide a bit of a qualitative differentiation between establishments that try to promote live music, local talent and the local music industry versus a KTV lounge, for example. Would there be a need for that?
\tMr S Iswaran: Madam, as I have said, indeed, that is the practice today. When an application is received, the Police will consult and obtain feedback and assessment from the relevant Government agencies, some of which the Member has mentioned. However, at the end of the day, the Police will also have to make a total assessment of the situation in a particular area before deciding whether a licence is to be granted and, if so, at what level.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Investigation of Suspected Sexual Assault Cases","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"10 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs what are procedures that the Police have in place
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when investigating suspected sexual assault cases, including rape, to ensure that victims do not feel humiliated or faulted for what happened to them.
The Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr S Iswaran) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Madam, victim care is a key aspect of the Police's procedures for handling suspected sexual assault cases. It is provided with the aim of minimising further trauma to the victims, as well as to establish trust and rapport in order to facilitate the investigations. Let me highlight the key areas of victim care.
Firstly, our first response officers are trained to be empathetic and supportive when interviewing the victim, who may still be in a state of shock. They will take an initial account from the victim, in accordance with established case reporting guidelines.
Secondly, the cases are normally assigned to experienced police investigators, who are trained in sexual offence investigation techniques, and who have the requisite level of victim support and forensic awareness, to deal with the cases sensitively.
Thirdly, the victims are provided with a single point of contact and, throughout the investigation process, they deal with officers trained in victim care management.
Fourthly, Police has set up specialised facilities, such as separate consultation rooms, to provide personal space and privacy to the victims so that they feel at ease while providing critical information to Police in the investigations.
Fifthly, in certain cases where the victims require more specialised support, Police also works with relevant agencies, crisis support groups and medical social workers to provide information about the criminal justice process and additional victim care, such as professional counselling and aftercare services.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Non-Constituency Member): Madam, I thank the Minister for the reply. Research has shown that the police officers' skill in recording rape complaints is important because it may affect the willingness of victims to cooperate with the authorities, the quality of the crime report that results and the degree of secondary trauma experienced by victims. Can the Minister clarify whether the Police has specific and standardised
\tPage: 23
protocols for recording the rape victims' statements?
The Minister mentioned that the police officers have to undergo training. Does this training include subjects like common rape myths, so that they do not inadvertently put the rape victims at risk of re-victimisation?
Lastly, the Minister said that the Police will work with counsellors. Is there a standard protocol to refer the victims to counsellors at every instance or is it only on specific instances where the Police makes a judgement?
\tMr S Iswaran: Madam, first, there are clear protocols for investigation procedures and these will be adapted and customised to certain types of situations and crime, and that includes cases of sexual assault or alleged sexual assault cases.
Second, one cannot expect our officers to be trained to be empathetic if they are given to – I think the Member used the term \"common myths\" – and, certainly, that is not the case. Our officers are trained to be empathetic and sensitive. But, also, to do their work, they need to establish the facts, so that has to be done. Sometimes, that may come across, for some individuals, as being a bit too forthright, but that is part of the investigation process. That is also why I enumerated in some detail the range of measures that are put in place at different levels in different ways to ensure that those who are allegedly victims are treated with empathy and sensitivity.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Malaysians Taking on Blue Collar Jobs in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"11 Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Acting Minister for Manpower with regard to Malaysians who commute to Singapore to work (a) how many and what percentage are engaged in the informal sector of menial and other blue collar jobs, for example, plumbers, air-conditioner servicemen, electricians; and (b) whether there is a concern that they are contributing to a wage depression of Singapore workers in similar trades and, if so, how is the Ministry addressing this.
\tThe Acting Minister for Manpower (Mr Tan Chuan-Jin): Mdm Speaker, across the overall group of Malaysian Work Permit Holders (WPHs) in Singapore, about 15% are in blue collar jobs, such as plumbers, air-conditioner
\tPage: 24
servicemen and electricians.
We have measures to help local workers even as companies are allowed to bring in foreign workers to augment their workforce. One of the measures is the Foreign Worker Levy (FWL), which raises the cost of the foreign worker. The Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) is another measure that sets a limit on the proportion of foreign workers that can be employed. Firms that have reached their DRC limit will have to recruit and retain more locals in order for them to be eligible to hire more foreign workers.
Over the past few years, as part of our overall tightening effort in order for us to restructure the economy and to move towards more manpower-lean setups, MOM has been reviewing both the levy and DRC on a regular basis. There has been progressive increase in levies for both S Pass and Work Permit holders for all sectors, with the latest changes taking effect from 1 July 2014 and 1 July 2015. This is very important for companies to note the dates which are coming up quite soon. There were also progressive DRC cuts in the Services sector from 50% to 45% in July 2012 and from 45% to 40% in July 2013.
But that is only part of the picture. We are also continuing our efforts to uplift low-wage workers in Singapore through creating good jobs, providing opportunities for them to enhance their employability and grow their incomes sustainably, and ensuring that they continue to share the fruits of Singapore's progress.
\tMr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines): Thank you, Madam. Perhaps, I need to clarify my question. I was referring to the informal sector of such tradesmen. I am aware of freelance plumbers, air-conditioner servicemen, electricians who cross the Causeway. They are self-employed and they are offering such services in Singapore. Is MOM able to track these movements? What these people are doing, is it legal and acceptable in Singapore, because they do not pay Foreign Worker Levy? Because of that, they are definitely able to offer lower fees compared to local tradesmen. Is MOM able to take action to address this?
\tMr Tan Chuan-Jin: Mdm Speaker, in every country, we will always have in our economy certain segments that operate under the radar. If I knew exactly how many there are and where they are, the message is that it is illegal. Foreign workers, in order for them to work in Singapore, they must have a valid Work Pass. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, for example, offenders could be fined up to $20,000 and subjected to imprisonment of up to two years. We can also take action to bar such illegal workers from entering and working
\tPage: 25
in Singapore for up to two years.
We all are familiar with the sector, workers who sort out the plumbing works and so on. We do encourage the public to let us know when we do come across possible illegal workers. But I think it is also important for us to encourage the industry associations to play a role by raising awareness among consumers on the importance of turning to properly accredited and trained tradesmen, those who are here legally. The more we employ those who are here illegally, we also affect the livelihoods of Singaporeans who might be plying the trade in these sectors.
\tMr Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied): Mdm Speaker, I have a few supplementary questions. First, how does MOM carry out enforcement, especially against what Mr Baey Yam Keng referred to earlier, that is, informal work, and especially Malaysians who work in Singapore in an informal way? Secondly, is it the policy of MOM to allow Malaysians who cross the border to work freely on social visit passes without enforcement? One example is Malaysians who come across to Singapore to be karang guni or rag and bone men. Or they may work as deliverymen. Are these jobs legal or illegal?
Next, there are Malaysians who hold construction workers' permits, but are doing other jobs which are not related to construction. The question is: how seriously is MOM monitoring such a situation? I have received feedback that MOM tends to keep a \"closed eye\" on these engagements.
\tMr Tan Chuan-Jin: Mdm Speaker, Mr Low is making a serious point. I would very much appreciate more information to be conveyed to us, such as informal feedback that has been provided to him. I will just reiterate the position. I would say it is not just Malaysians. There are other people who come into Singapore on social visit passes and we are aware that sometimes, some of them might engage in various types of work, whether legal work or otherwise. The point is that if they do not have a valid work pass, they cannot work in Singapore. Does it exist? Yes, it does.
We carry out random checks in various areas and we do pick up people who are working here illegally. It also very much depends on complaints, information and so on from the public, and we would then act accordingly and the relevant actions will take place.
With regard to the specific feedback, I do urge Mr Low to provide us with the alleged information about us closing one eye, and we would be quite happy
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to follow up.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Myanmar's Hosting of 2013 Southeast Asian Games","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"12 Mr Nicholas Fang asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what has Myanmar's hosting of the 2013 Southeast Asian Games shown about the country's ability to be an active and contributing member of ASEAN.
\tThe Second Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien) (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs): Mdm Speaker, Myanmar successfully hosted the 27th Southeast Asian Games in December 2013, earning international accolades for its elaborate planning, organisation and warm hospitality extended to all participating countries and the foreign media.
The 27th SEA Games was another reflection of the country's positive transformation and development, and demonstrates Myanmar's ability to host large international events and its desire to integrate into the international community. In the same spirit as its hosting of the 27th SEA Games, Myanmar has made extensive preparations for its ASEAN Chairmanship this year. They were on full display at the recent ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat, held on 16 and 17 January in Bagan, in central Myanmar.
Singapore is confident that Myanmar will be an active and effective Chairman of ASEAN. Singapore will continue to support Myanmar's Chairmanship and assist in whatever capacity we can. We will also continue to work closely with fellow ASEAN member states to ensure that Myanmar's ASEAN Chairmanship will be a success and bring ASEAN member states closer to our Community goals in 2015.
\tMr Nicholas Fang (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I thank the Second Minister for the reply. There have been reports that Myanmar received considerable support from the international community, especially from countries like China and Japan, in the staging of their Southeast Games last year. Is there any concern on the part of the Ministry that such influence – be it through soft power like a sports event – could then influence Myanmar as Chair of ASEAN, as we saw it during Cambodia's chairmanship two years ago?
\tMs Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. In the process of the country's development, we have
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at one time or another received assistance from many countries. Myanmar and many other developing countries in Asia are probably on the same path. What we would like to do as ASEAN is to have solidarity in the views that affect the common interests of ASEAN. As Members know, ASEAN works on the basis of having unanimous consensus and agreement. Therefore, through the discussions with all the ASEAN member states, we will continue to achieve our common objectives.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Service Delivery Requirements under Bus Service Reliability Framework","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"13 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Transport with regard to the two-year trial of the new Bus Service Reliability Framework (BSRF) (a) how is the Excess Wait Time (EWT) of six seconds determined; and (b) whether the new penalty and incentive framework will drive unsafe driving behaviour among bus drivers.
14 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Transport whether the Bus Service Reliability Framework will add stress to the bus captains or cause bus captains to drive recklessly in order to arrive at bus stops on time.
\tThe Minister for Transport (Mr Lui Tuck Yew): Mdm Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 13 and 14 together, please?
Mdm Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr Lui Tuck Yew: Excess Wait Time (EWT) measures how regular a specific bus service is. It is an average score measured across all the trips for a single bus service. It is assessed at several bus stops along the way and every bus service has its own specific EWT, depending on how regular and reliable that bus service is.
For example, a bus service that is operating at a perfect, regular 10-minute interval will have an average wait time of five minutes, and an EWT of zero. An EWT of 0.1 minute for this service means that the commuter is likely to wait six seconds more, on average, compared to the EWT of 0 minute.
However, as the EWT is an average score, I should make it clear that the actual commuter experience waiting at a specific bus stop could be different.
\tPage: 28
But over time, if we keep on reducing the EWT, there would be a perceptible improvement in bus reliability for our commuters. That has been the experience for London which had implemented a reliability framework of the same kind for more than a dozen years already. Typically, they would regard a 0.5-minute or 30-second reduction in EWT as a significant improvement.
The Bus Service Reliability Framework, while intended to get buses to arrive at bus stops at more regular intervals, we do not believe will encourage unsafe driving behaviour. Bus captains will be instructed by the service controllers to slow down, or even hold at bus stops for a minute or two, provided the bus does not obstruct traffic and other buses.
Bus captains found to be driving recklessly or flouting road traffic rules will be subject to discipline by the bus operators or even charged by the Traffic Police. Bus operators have Standard Operating Procedures on safe driving standards, and safe driving skills are continually reinforced. Bus operators also provide incentives for bus captains who drive safely and have a good record.
\tMr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Mdm Speaker, I want to thank the Minister for his answers. I am wondering if a traffic controller gives instructions to the bus captain or driver to slow down or even to wait at the bus stop, and then later on, the bus captain finds that he cannot catch up, how then does he deal with the stress of having to catch up, after having been asked to stop at the bus stop for two minutes or so? My concern is whether we would add undue stress and pressure on the bus captain because he faces a certain degree of unhappiness from his employer if he does not comply. For all that we say, that he should not drive recklessly, there would be a certain amount of pressure on him to try to adhere to the time limit. In the Minister's view, would this be something that we are trying to encourage?
\tMr Lui Tuck Yew: I think this will have to evolve over time. The truth is that there would be additional stress on the system as a whole. What the Public Transport Operators (PTOs) would need to do is to significantly improve their backend operations. They also need to train people at the Ops Control centre to be monitoring these buses much more closely and to give directions to the drivers accordingly.
Indeed, the situation that Mr Lim had suggested could well come up. I suspect that even today, there is always a certain amount of pressure already on the buses to adhere to the schedule to get back to the interchange on time,
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so that they can start the next run. There is always a certain amount of pressure.
Having said that, we can look at the safety records of the two operators against the standard that is set for them. What is the standard? The standard is 0.75 accidents per 100,000 km drive. Buses cover quite a lot of distance on a daily basis, so it is best to measure this against 100,000 km and on a consistent basis. The standard that we set for them is 0.75 accidents per 100,000 km across the fleet. This is roughly equivalent to us, as a driver of a private vehicle getting into an accident once every six or seven years. That is the standard we set for them.
For the past few years, when we look at the records, we have found that both operators have exceeded this, meaning they have performed better than 0.75. The record has generally been a good one. This is something that we will be watching but it is not something that worries us unduly at this point in time.
\tMs Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade): Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, based on what had been shared earlier and in his reply, there seems to be a fair amount of judgement that the bus captain and the traffic controller have to exercise on a day-to-day basis. Because of the subjectivity, would the bus driver not feel pressured and make reckless decisions, especially when they may have had to stop for a few more minutes to allow an elderly passenger, for instance, get onboard, or because of congestion on the road? In such instances, what kinds of measures are being put in place to guide them in terms of making such assessments, that is, when they should slow down and when they should catch up so that, overall, not only will they be safe on the road, but also to cut down on the excess waiting time to improve reliability of the service to passengers?
\tMr Lui Tuck Yew: That, indeed, is a series of very good and pertinent questions. These are some of the same things that we posed to Transport for London when we visited them. I would have to say that this is an idea that we took from Transport for London. They assured us that if we looked at it over a number of years – and they have improved on their procedures and operations – that these were not areas that proved to be of great concern.
We look at London, for instance. They have been operating this as far as I know since 2000. Over a dozen years, they have improved from an EWT of about two minutes to about one minute. They attributed this to a significant improvement in the reliability of the service as well as customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction went up by 60%. They felt that some of these concerns
\tPage: 30
that we raised with them were manageable, and seen against the improvements as well as the derived satisfaction of customers, it was well worth making. They told us that the greater pressure comes on the people at the backend, because they will have to make decisions on how the buses move and how to close the gap, or whether they should inject an additional bus enroute because of congestion mid-stream, and so on.
Indeed, when they summarised it for us, we felt that the additional stress on the drivers was not so significant – certainly manageable – and it would be the training of the people at the backend and the system that you have in place that will allow us eventually, we hope, to make the greatest improvements.
\tMr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines): Madam, I have two questions. I note that the quantum for the penalty and incentive, there is a difference. There is a higher quantum for incentive versus penalty for the same duration, above or below the EWT that was mentioned. Why is that so?
Secondly, when a bus is on the road, a lot depends on the road conditions as well – whether there is obstruction on the road, whether other vehicles give way at the bus bay for the buses to come out. There could be a lot of factors that are beyond the bus driver's or the bus company's control or sphere of influence. Would this scheme be steering a behaviour that is probably not entirely in the bus company or bus driver's control?
\tMr Lui Tuck Yew: Again, some very good questions. These were exactly the same things we also asked Transport for London. They, too, have a scheme where they provide more incentives as compared to penalties – one and a half times – which is what we have also adopted.
When we thought through it, we came to about the same conclusion as to why London did it this way. There is a certain amount of investment that the operators have to make in order for this to work. It is not just hoping that conditions will allow your buses to become more regular or that the bus drivers themselves will talk to each other but, essentially, a system to monitor, direct and, if necessary, to inject additional resources. That is one way to look at it because there is a certain outlay that the operators would have to be responsible for in order for this to work.
On road conditions, the Member is right. Not everything is within the control of the PTOs and, certainly, they try to emphasise that point very much to us. The counter to that is: it, therefore, requires them to pay greater attention
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to road conditions, to know when there are works taking place or to be familiar with the peculiarities of the route and even at specified time intervals, because while conditions change on a day-to-day basis – and I grant you that – there are some things that do not change. So, they have to factor these in and plan accordingly.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Non-Constituency Member): Madam, just a quick question. Would it not be more straightforward to just set high enough standards and then penalise the PTOs for failing to meet those standards? Because this can certainly spur improvements at the backend as well, and the PTOs' reward really is in more satisfied customers and bigger ridership.
\tMr Lui Tuck Yew: We also have to try and arrive at a position and at a model that is fair to all parties concerned. With greater demand, there will be calls for greater injection of resources. So, we are trying to find a balance between incentives and penalties in order to arrive at a better situation than what we have today.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Help Schemes for Low-wage Workers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"15 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Acting Minister for Manpower if he can provide an update on the steps that have been taken by the Government since 2010 to assist low-wage workers earning less than $1,500 per month, in particular the measures taken for such workers to (i) receive CPF benefits and cash under schemes such as the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS); (ii) be eligible for medical and dental coverage under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS); and (iii) be accorded better and fairer employment terms.
The Senior Minister of State for Manpower (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Acting Minister for Manpower): Madam, low-wage workers are a priority for the Government and we adopt a multi-faceted approach in helping them. Besides creating good jobs that will enable workers to provide for themselves and their families, we also seek to help workers earning lower wages improve their retirement adequacy and meet their short-term expenditure needs through Workfare Income Supplement (WIS).
In 2012, we enhanced the WIS scheme to better meet the needs of lower-wage workers. The WIS income cap was raised from $1,500 in 2007 to $1,900 in 2013 to benefit about 30% of our citizen workforce. We increased the maximum
\tPage: 32
WIS quantum by 25% to $3,500, and increased the cash proportion of WIS from less than 30% to 40% in 2013. The frequency of WIS payouts has also been increased to help workers better cope with current expenses.
Mr Christopher de Souza asked about the steps taken to assist workers to receive WIS. The cash component is paid into his bank account or via cheque and the CPF component is credited into his CPF account. These payouts are made automatically, but only if the employee receives CPF contributions from his employer. Hence, we are also taking steps to address poor employment practices that can potentially undermine our WIS efforts. MOM and CPF Board launched the \"WorkRight\" programme in 2012 to step up compliance with the CPF Act and the Employment Act through education and enforcement.
We are also doing more in sectors, such as cleaning, which is prone to cheap sourcing. MOM has worked with NEA to introduce employment-related criteria in the Clean Mark accreditation scheme to encourage better employment standards. Similar criteria will also be incorporated into NEA's mandatory licensing regime for the cleaning sector which will take effect later this year. At the broader level for all workers, MOM has also been working with our tripartite partners to bring about the adoption of fair, responsible and merit-based employment through the work of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP).
Efforts to help low-wage workers and their families extend beyond what we do at MOM. The Government also provides assistance in housing, healthcare and education. As Mr Christopher de Souza has pointed out, one of the healthcare assistance schemes is the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). CHAS allows Singaporeans from lower- and middle-income households the convenience of seeking subsidised care at private GP and dental clinics near their homes. MOH, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and HPB have been actively publicising CHAS through grassroots organisations and the unions. With the removal of the age floor for CHAS with effect from 1 January 2014, all eligible family members of lower- and middle-income households are now able to qualify for CHAS.
We will continue to review and enhance the ways we extend assistance and support to low-wage workers as we strive towards an inclusive society.
\tMr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): I would like to ask whether MOM would consider informing each worker who receives support of various kinds of the total amount of support provided to the worker in that given
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year. And possibly, as we are trying to encourage the worker to step up and to move up, in that same letter, would MOM also provide information to these workers of further step-up schemes to enhance their qualifications?
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I thank the Member for his suggestion. Let me say that with regard to the first part of the question about the total amount of benefits or subsidies that the low-wage workers would get, certainly, right now, for each of these schemes, for instance, WIS, they will be informed about their eligibility for benefits from these schemes.
I take the Member's point that he would like it to be comprehensive within a letter so that the individual knows the total amount of benefits or subsidies that he is given for any year. This is something that we can consider as we look into how we can enhance measures to help our low-wage workers as a whole-of-Government effort because it is not just about WIS and what MOM does but all the other agencies as well.
I would like to note that it is probably not possible to put everything into one letter because there may be certain schemes where it may be administratively costly and cumbersome or burdensome to put in. But we will see what we can do with regard to that suggestion.
With regard to informing the individual about the kind of upgrading programmes that they can attend, we do a lot of this through the unions, WDA, publicity road shows, job fairs and through the employers themselves. For instance, for the cleaning sector's progressive wage model, the employers will be encouraged to train and upgrade the skills of their employees so that they can move up the career and wage ladder.
Again, I take note of the Member's idea of putting them into the letter. This is something we could do, informing them about Workfare training schemes and all the other upgrading programmes that they may apply for.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Admission to Singapore Bar","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"16 Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Law (a) whether any persons have been denied admission to the Singapore Bar for misconduct or ethical breaches committed during their undergraduate law studies locally or overseas; and (b) whether there is a mechanism in place for
\tPage: 34
our law schools to inform the relevant parties of persons who may not be suitable for admission to the Singapore Bar due to misconduct or gross ethical breaches during their undergraduate law studies.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Law (Ms Indranee Rajah) (for the Minister for Law): Madam, under the Legal Profession Act, an applicant cannot be admitted as an advocate or solicitor if he or she is not of good character. When applying for admission, the applicant has to affirm or swear by way of affidavit, facts that affect his suitability to practise as an advocate and solicitor. This includes any misconduct or ethical breaches. Additionally, the applicant must also exhibit in his affidavit a certificate of diligence from a Singapore law practice from which he received supervised training. The Singapore law practice cannot issue this certificate of diligence if it knows of any misconduct or ethical breaches that affect the applicant's suitability for admission as an advocate and solicitor. The admission criteria do not distinguish between misconduct or ethical breaches which take place during or outside the course of an applicant's undergraduate law studies.
The affidavit which the applicant affirms or swears by must be served on the Attorney-General, the Law Society and the Singapore Institute of Legal Education. They may file a notice of objection against the applicant should they determine that he is not of good character. Similarly, members of the public, including law schools, who may have knowledge of facts that have a bearing on the applicant's unsuitability to practise, may also file a notice of objection within 30 days of the application for admission.
The agencies concerned do not keep records on the number of persons who were refused admission to the Bar on account of previous misconduct or ethical breaches.
\tAssoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Madam, I appreciate the Senior Minister of State's reply in affirming that ethical breaches even during the course of studies could impact upon one's suitability for admission to the Bar. My question is whether the law schools are sufficiently apprised of this.
I know it might come as a surprise, but never in my career as a law academic have I known of academics being approached by the Law School to indicate whether such cases should be notified to the relevant agencies. When you ask the students, students also take the same view. They do not see their conduct or misconduct in the Law School as having any bearing on their
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suitability for practice.
I appreciate that affirmation, but I think there is a need to emphasise this and, of course, the question is: which is the relevant body? It is important because students think they can get away and many of the bad habits are learnt during the course of their undergraduate studies.
\tMs Indranee Rajah: Madam, I thank the Member for his comments. Indeed, in order to become an advocate and solicitor and be called to the Bar, it is important that the applicant is of good character and the right suitability. Good character and right suitability do not start from the time you begin your training at a law practice. It is something which pertains to the essential individual character of that person and could be affected by matters which have occurred even before the applicant has made the application to be admitted to the Bar. This issue of character is not constrained in terms of time. What is important is that at the time that the application is made and heard, the Court has the opportunity to determine that the person is of the appropriate suitability to be admitted. After all, that person is going to have in his or her hands the practice of the law that affects the rights of individuals and the public at large. That is the first point.
The second point that the Member made was whether or not the law schools were aware of their ability to communicate their knowledge of any misconduct or ethical breaches. Members of the law school would also be lawyers and they should be acquainted with the law. In case they are not, I would direct their attention to Rule 28(1) of the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules. These are the Rules which provide that any person – this includes a member of the public – may file a notice of objection to the application for admission to the Bar. Indeed, that is the purpose of the fact of the application being made public. Applications for admission to the Bar are put on the court website and the purpose of that is to give notice to everybody that this particular person has applied to be admitted to the Bar and, by the same token, anybody who intends to object can put in a notice of objection.
Certainly, whilst this can be promulgated publicly, I would urge the law schools to look at the Rules and also, in the course of their discipline for the students, to encourage the students to remember that this issue of character relates not just to the time they make the application, but also before and even after they are called to the Bar.
\tPage: 36
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Global Positioning Systems in Taxis","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"17 Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider installing global positioning systems in taxis to facilitate future regulations for taxis to ply the roads during official working hours or to ply a minimum mileage.
The Minister for Transport (Mr Lui Tuck Yew): Mdm Speaker, today we have about 28,000 taxis in our taxi fleet and more than 98% of taxis in Singapore are already equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS)-based location systems. The taxi companies, with the exception of Prime, have equipped their taxis in order to comply with the new Taxi Service Operator Licence (TSOL) requirements that were announced in 2012 and which took effect when they renewed their licences in 2013.
As I said, the only exception is Prime because their licence expires only in 2017, but it is already progressively upgrading its taxis with GPS-based location systems and targets to complete this by the third quarter of 2014.
\tMrs Lina Chiam (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister for answering the question. I would like to ask the Minister how do we ensure maximum usage of taxis by GPS. Is it possible?
\tMr Lui Tuck Yew: Thank you very much. Mdm Speaker, that is indeed a very good question. It is something that we have been trying to do because we introduced the taxi availability standards that have two basic indicators. The first is to require the taxi, not the driver, to clock 250 km a day. The percentage of the fleet that is required to clock 250 km per day by company has been stepped up. This is the second year of implementation and we will continue to step up the requirement for the percentage to hit 250 km.
In addition to that, we also have a requirement for the percentage of taxis to be on the road or the percentage of taxis to be on the road during various hours of the day. The requirement is, of course, higher during the peak hours. The details are available in LTA's website if the Member is interested.
\tPage: 37
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ramping up Healthcare Personnel Numbers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"The following question stood in the name of Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef –
18 To ask the Minister for Health in view of new healthcare institutions and step-down and intermediate care facilities opening up, what steps, strategies and interventions does the Ministry have to quickly and continuously ramp up the number of healthcare personnel to meet the increasing needs.
\tDr Lam Pin Min (Sengkang West): Question No 18.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for Health): To meet the growing demand for healthcare services, we are increasing healthcare capacity as part of our Healthcare 2020 Masterplan. To support these plans, we are enhancing healthcare manpower development in three areas.
First, we are attracting more young Singaporeans to join healthcare. To achieve this, we are expanding our local training pipelines so that more students can train to be healthcare professionals. For instance, our local medical intake will increase gradually to 500, with the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine admitting its first cohort this year.
At the same time, we are raising the profile of nursing and allied health professions as careers of choice through our newly launched \"Care to Go Beyond\" national branding campaign. We will also continue to market our scholarships to attract more talent. This year, we awarded 251 healthcare scholarships, 46% more than last year. We also adjust the salaries of public healthcare professionals from time to time to ensure that we can continue to attract and retain talent in the public healthcare and intermediate-long term care (ILTC) institutions.
Second, we are supporting mid-career professionals who are interested in joining the healthcare sector. We fund the cost of their nursing or allied health training, and provide them with training allowances during their studies to defray their living expenses.
At the same time, we are supporting older healthcare staff who are keen to continue working, for as long as they can. In 2012, 95% of public sector healthcare professionals in public healthcare institutions who reached the age
\tPage: 38
62 were re-employed. We have also implemented back-to-practice schemes to support the return of trained healthcare professionals who have left clinical practice for various reasons. This year, we facilitated the return of 27 such nurses.
Third, we are recruiting from abroad to augment our workforce. While we will do what we can to grow the local manpower pool, it is unlikely to be sufficient to meet Singapore's growing healthcare needs. Based on our projections, we will need to grow our national healthcare professional workforce by 50%, or about 20,000 more, between 2011 and 2020. This is not a small number. We need to supplement our local workforce with overseas-trained healthcare professionals. In particular, we aim to bring back more Singaporeans studying medicine and dentistry overseas, through the offering of pre-employment grants. We have attracted about 250 of them back since 2010. We will also continue to recruit qualified foreign professionals and help them assimilate into our local working environment.
Besides growing the healthcare manpower workforce, we are actively supporting innovation and productivity initiatives in the public healthcare and ILTC institutions through our funding schemes, to moderate the demand for manpower in healthcare.
The healthcare workforce is a critical part of our healthcare system. MOH will continue to ensure that we have sufficient qualified manpower to meet Singapore's healthcare needs.
\tDr Lam Pin Min: I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. In addition to hiring more or producing more healthcare professionals, I think the right siting of healthcare givers is also important. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State what will MOH be doing to encourage healthcare professionals to specialise in areas such as geriatric medicine and other relevant specialties to meet the increasing demand with the ageing population.
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: A very good question. Indeed, we need to not just increase the absolute number of healthcare staff in the different sectors but also to look at how to channel or incentivise or encourage nurses, doctors to go into areas of specialties where there will be increasing demand. So, we are looking at different ways. Of course, it will be in terms of, say, the number of training places in different specialties. We will have to work out that with the professionals and with the healthcare institutions. We are also looking at how we can incentivise or encourage the professions to go into the different
\tPage: 39
specialties, say, through salary and career pathways, and of course, upgrading opportunities.
\tMr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Nee Soon): I thank the Senior Minister of State for the response. In my capacity as the Executive Secretary of the Healthcare Services Employees Union, besides compensation, benefits and productivity, I hope MOH will, in view of the bed crunches and very demanding pressures on our health carers in the workforce, seriously look at their overall welfare and well-being in light of all these demands. With the growth of infrastructure and the number of hospitals that are coming up, they will be more taxed and more strained. I hope the Ministry will look into their welfare and their concerns.
\tDr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I take the Member's concerns and let me assure the Member that MOH, together with the public healthcare institutions, are well aware that we need to ensure that the welfare of the healthcare professionals and staff are taken care of in view of the increasing demand for healthcare services.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress of SME Workgroup ","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"19 Mr R Dhinakaran asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what is the progress of the SME Workgroup and how many businesses has the Workgroup engaged.
20 Mr R Dhinakaran asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the SME Workgroup has any preliminary findings to share; and (b) if so, when and how will its findings be released.
\tThe Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Teo Ser Luck) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mdm Speaker, with your permission, can I take Question Nos 19 and 20 together?
Mdm Speaker: Yes, please.
\tMr Teo Ser Luck: Since its launch in September last year, the SME Workgroup has been engaging the SME community, and has reviewed the feedback from SMEs on Government policies and processes.
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To date, the Advisors in the Workgroup have conducted 17 outreach and engagement sessions, reaching out to almost 700 attendees from SMEs across a range of industries. When you take that with the other outreach efforts carried out with partner agencies such as SPRING and the outreach done by the various SME Centres, more than 5,600 SMEs have been engaged over 120 sessions since the launch of the SME Workgroup.
The SMEs had given feedback regarding rising costs, particularly from manpower, land and space constraints. In their engagement sessions, Advisors have also encouraged companies to restructure and improve productivity to address these challenges. We have also found that many SMEs are unaware of the various ways in which the Government can assist them in upgrading their businesses. The engagement sessions, with representatives from the relevant agencies, such as MOM, SPRING and WDA, have been most helpful in increasing awareness among SMEs about all the Government schemes. More SMEs are now aware that they can approach any of the SME Centres, which can provide guidance on which Government schemes are relevant for their needs.
The Workgroup will also recognise that our SMEs need to focus on growth in order to succeed. There are many Government schemes which our companies can tap on for growth, innovation and internationalisation. We will continue to monitor the needs of our companies, and study how these Government schemes can be enhanced to support our companies to tap growth opportunities. The Workgroup is an on-going effort. It is a long-term effort. We will continue to enhance the schemes and look at the challenges that are facing SMEs so that we can help the SMEs more effectively.
\tMr R Dhinakaran (Nominated Member): I thank the Minister of State for the reply. It is a good effort that you have met up with so many SMEs within the short period of four months, around 700 SMEs. How long do you think it will be before we can see progress in terms of productivity and capability building exercises by these SME Centres? Because of the tightening of the current labour quotas and labour issues, how do you plan to help them? Every SME faces only two problems – high cost of doing business and the labour crunch. Are there any special solutions which you are offering at this moment for all the SMEs?
\tMr Teo Ser Luck: I thank the Member for the question. SMEs face more than labour or cost of operations problems. They also face revenue and opportunity issues as well and competition from other companies or within the industry.
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The immediate issues are because of policies such as the tightening of foreign labour. We are also watching that to see what sectors are affected. We will be looking at the different schemes and a more targeted approach towards different sectors. We will see what are the schemes or programmes that can help them.
At the same time, SME Centres are reaching out to them, not just waiting for them to come. They are reaching out to them, to the small and even micro enterprises to help them understand some of the schemes that may be able to assist them through this transformation process. We need the SMEs to stay the course to be able to go through this transformation. It is not going to be very easy because that would also mean changing their process and their business models. The benefits of the productivity improvements take time to effect. The earlier they start, the earlier they can reap the benefits. That is what we are trying to encourage the SMEs to do as soon as possible.
We are looking at the different schemes and also to see what other areas in which we can help them. Most of the SMEs say they have accepted some of the facts where manpower would continue to be a constraint. They know they need to tighten the labour and increase productivity. Through the dialogue sessions, we see that they are accepting that. Now, is to be able to look at how, with the limited resources that they have, can they produce more with less; how can they increase their opportunities in internationalisation; how do they fund some of these opportunities. These are some of the schemes that we will be looking at to enhance. During the Budget period, we may announce one or two different programmes that can help the SMEs more effectively.
Mdm Speaker: Order. End of Question Time.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos 21-28 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix.]
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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":"Prisons (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Resumption of Debate on Question (20 January 2014), (proc text)]
[(proc text) \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\" – [Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Question again proposed. (proc text)]
Mrs Lina Chiam (Non-Constituency Member): Mdm Speaker, this Bill is recognition that the mere focus on retribution or deterrence is not enough to achieve the goals or crime-reduction in Singapore and that there also needs to be a greater focus on rehabilitating ex-offenders. While this is something that I welcome, I have several clarifications that I would like to make and certain concerns that I would wish to highlight.
Before going into the contents of the Bill, however, I would like to point out that in a debate on a policy such as this, it would be necessary for us to have access to independently-conducted criminological studies to ensure that we are dealing with the problem in a scientifically rigorous manner. It is only right that laws and policies that will have a severe impact on people's lives should not be made based merely on anecdotal evidence. Such studies will also allow us to be sufficiently certain that our laws are truly targeting the causes of crime, for the study of criminology has constantly proven to us that conventional ideas of crime can easily contain misconceptions that are not immediately obvious to the unfamiliar observer.
It is unfortunate, therefore, that there is a significant lack of criminological data and analysis conducted locally. Where debates are being conducted on criminal justice bills, such as the one before us without the benefit of such studies, it calls into question whether the decision is made on grounds which can survive the robust, but necessary, scientific scrutiny.
Will the Government, therefore, make available all the criminological studies that it has conducted for the purposes of this Bill and for all other criminal justice matters?
Will the Government also encourage and facilitate the conduct of such studies by independent bodies and academic institutions with a view to
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enhancing the quality of public discourse on criminal justice in Singapore?
For the purposes of the debate on this Bill, I would also like to ask the Minister to provide this House with the following statistics.
First, can the Minister tell the House what is the recidivism rate of offenders who have been convicted of offences listed in the First Schedule during and after the terms of remission?
Secondly, can the Minister provide this House with the percentage of people who have been convicted of offences listed in the First Schedule per annum?
Mdm Speaker, MHA had, in the Budget debate last year, informed the House that the recidivism rate of our prison population has fallen by about half over the past 10 years. This is despite the fact that the current system of remissions imposes no conditions on inmates for the period of their release. While we should not relent on our effort to curb crime and re-offending, perhaps these figures might also be an indication that we do not need a radical alteration of the current system. Rather than restrictive measures, the focus should, instead, be on encouraging them to lead a meaningful and crime-free life by helping them acquire skills that will allow them to find employment.
Mdm Speaker, let me deal with certain concerns about the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme for inmates who have received a prison sentence of 20 years or less. Section 50U(1) seeks to impose aftercare conditions for persons who have committed offences which are listed under the First Schedule, and who are not liable to being deported after serving their sentences. These aftercare conditions will apply for the duration of the person's remission order.
I am not convinced, as it stands, that sections 50X and Y can be administered in a fair manner. Both provisions set out the consequences of a minor and major breach of the mandatory aftercare conditions respectively. The provisions do not, however, define when persons are deemed to have committed these breaches. This means that persons on remission are left in the dark as to how they should behave in order to prevent themselves from being in breach of the conditions, major or minor. Furthermore, this also means that the prosecutorial authority will have full discretion over the type of breach that an inmate has committed. Given that a major breach is listed as a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment under section 50Y, Parliament should provide a clear statutory definition of what would constitute minor or major
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breaches of the conditions, so that both persons on remission, as well as enforcement and judicial authorities, can be clear on what the law requires of them.
Furthermore, in section 50X(1), it is stated that the Commissioner may, after due inquiry, administer a variety of punishments on a minor breach of a mandatory aftercare condition. There is, however, no indication of what steps the Commissioner must take before he can satisfy himself that a person has committed a minor breach. As a matter of fairness, the person being accused of a minor breach should be afforded the right to hear the charge and evidence against him/her, and to make his/her defence before the Commissioner makes a decision on the matter and this should be made clear in the statute.
Mdm Speaker, I now turn my attention to inmates who have been sentenced to a prison term of more than 20 years. Section 50J(1) of the Bill allows the Minister to direct the Commissioner to make a remission order where an inmate has served 20 years of his/her sentence. Section 50J(2) makes it obligatory for the Minister to review the decision every 12 months or less, should he decline to make a remission order under subsection 1.
While I welcome the Government's recognition that long-term prison sentences may be reduced where the offender has shown signs of rehabilitation, I am of the view that an independent review board, rather than the Minister himself, should make such decisions. The board should comprise eminent persons who possess certain expertise in relevant fields that will enable them to make better and more informed decisions on the rehabilitative progress of inmates. This is the position adopted in Hong Kong, where there is a \"Long-term Prison Sentences Review Board\" made up of at least two judges or former judges, one medical practitioner who is or was a specialist in psychiatry, as well as one member who has the expertise and experience in social work. The board determines whether long-term prisoners should be released early, as well the conditions which the inmates have to adhere to after their release. Furthermore, it also reviews the progress of the inmate after release to determine if new conditions should be imposed or old ones removed. The merits of having a similar panel of experts in Singapore is undeniable and should immediately be studied with a view towards implementing such a system as soon as possible. This decision-making body, driven by a collective wisdom, seems to me to be in a much better position to evaluate whether inmates are suitable for early release, instead of the Minister or the Commissioner, both of whom already bear the burden of other heavy duties and responsibilities.
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Secondly, can the Minister also tell the House whether the Government has sought expert opinion on the average time it would take for long-term inmates to be fully rehabilitated into society, and whether these experts were of the opinion that the average period of time needed for rehabilitation is one-third of the inmate's sentence.
Mdm Speaker, we must not forget that in cases where inmates are sentenced to 20 years or more receive remission, their remission order will be at least six years long, perhaps even longer if they are released at the Minister's discretion before they are entitled to remission. The aftercare conditions may, therefore, be imposed for the full duration of the remission order regardless of the rehabilitative progress of the person. While it is understandable that measures are needed to support the reintegration of these long-term inmates back into society, there is the possibility that a person would have been fully rehabilitated well before the expiration of the remission order but is nevertheless unnecessarily subjected to the mandatory aftercare conditions. Will it not be better if the duration of the aftercare conditions for long-term inmates is set for a determinate term for all long-term offenders with the option given to an independent board to extend or reduce the period where it is necessary?
Before turning to the external placement scheme, allow me to turn my attention to the position on those who have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Section 50P(1) of the Bill allows the Minister to direct the Commissioner to make a remission order after the prisoner has served 20 years of his/her sentence. Section 50P(2) requires the Minister to review the decision every 12 months or less should he/she decline to make the direction to the Commissioner. My criticism of the position in relation to long-term prisoners applies equally in this instance. The discretion to allow for remission should be given to an independent board that also has the power to impose and remove conditions upon the inmate's release.
Mdm Speaker, in the case of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment, section 50(R) states that the remission order shall have effect until the end of the person's natural life. This means that the mandatory aftercare conditions will be applicable for such persons for the rest of their lives, even if the offender has been successfully rehabilitated within that period. Based on the provisions of the Bill, it is entirely possible for a person to be electronically tagged and be required to report to the Commissioner for the rest of his/her life. This, I am afraid, may not be the best method of rehabilitating an ex-offender. All that this measure does is to make it extremely difficult for a person to reintegrate back into society because of the person's loss of privacy, as well as having to carry
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the stressful burden of meeting the mandatory aftercare conditions for an extraordinarily long period of time. These may also have an adverse impact on the person's ability to find stable employment, an important aspect of social reintegration. Again, there is a strong case to be made for a determinate term to be imposed, after which the conditions should expire, unless it is necessary to do otherwise. Within this stipulated term, the Board should also be given the discretion to change or remove the conditions should it be satisfied of the person's progress.
Lastly, in view of the possible surge in the number of ex-offenders going into the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme, could the Minister explain how are the capabilities and infrastructure, such as hiring of more counsellors in the field of ex-inmate rehabilitation and integration and halfway houses, to be achieved to cope with this new proposed change?
Dr Janil Puthucheary (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mdm Speaker, allow me to begin by expressing my appreciation to the members of the Home Team and, in particular, those in the Prison Service.
We are well known as a safe city; one where there are very low levels of crime and violence. While a significant part of this is the result of a good environment as well as the many opportunities for success and a generally well-integrated society, we must recognise that the vigilance, the proactive approach and the hard work that characterise our Police and security services, are also very important in maintaining peace and harmony.
However, once an offender is in prison, the priority must shift to ensuring that he can one day reintegrate into society and to prevent him from re-offending. In many other societies, a significant proportion of crime, and, in particular, violent crime is carried out by offenders of prior history. The low recidivism rate we see in Singapore is testament to the good work of our prison officers, SCORE and the various organisations and VWOs that work with these ex-inmates.
It is assumed that in the absence of a family network, without social support and employment, the chance of recidivism is higher, much higher, as someone who is desperate, who has nothing to lose, is much more likely to do something foolish. The difficulties faced by these men on release are significant and need to be addressed in order to give them a fair chance at rebuilding their lives as
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this would reduce the likelihood of a repeat offence. Helping them get back on their feet is a kindness but also serves the interest of society at large in enhancing our peace and security. The amendment to this Bill seeks to enhance the system of managing ex-offenders and to help them reduce the risks of re-offending.
Madam, while the recidivism rate has seen a decrease in recent years, a large proportion of the prison population are repeat offenders. I would like to ask what are the main reasons for the recidivism in Singapore. One of the measures introduced under this amendment is the Conditional Remission System. As the majority of the prison population are repeat offenders, it appears that the risk of spending more time in jail had not deterred them from re-offending. So, to what extent would these measures be effective with respect to recidivism? Is it likely that there would need to be a different effect for the 20% of first-time offenders, rather than the majority of the prison population who are repeat offenders? Does this imply that a different application of the process is needed for inmates who are already repeat offenders?
Madam, the amendment also seeks to introduce the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme to facilitate the reintegration of ex-inmates upon release from Prisons through enhanced community support, counselling and case management. This is likely to involve several community partners outside of the Prison Service.
I am well acquainted with a number of halfway houses in my constituency, and I am consistently impressed by both the staff as well as the residents of these institutions. The staff are caring and have a deep understanding of the self-discovery and rehabilitation needed for the residents, the personal journey that these ex-inmates have to go through to become reintegrated into society. The residents themselves want a fair chance to get themselves back onto their feet and they do work hard to make that happen.
Given the important role that these aftercare institutions and organisations play, I would like to ask for an assurance that measures would be taken to ensure a degree of consistency is applied across the board in dealing with ex-inmates, especially given the wide variety of partners involved. How would the Ministry ensure that the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme is applied in a consistent way by the various organisations? Has the Ministry been able to help these aftercare services develop their skills and capabilities so that they can increase their effectiveness, and will these efforts continue? For some ex-offenders, a degree of psychological rehabilitation may be important, and how would the
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aftercare services be supported in providing this?
As a society, we could do more to treat these ex-offenders with dignity and provide them with the opportunities to take care of themselves. A job is often the key to providing a structured life, a sense of financial security and a set of useful skills. The time spent in these aftercare institutions is very important in the journey of rehabilitation and reintegration for the ex-offenders, and is also an opportunity for the residents to actively seek work. How successful has SCORE been in finding employment for these ex-inmates and how will such efforts be enhanced by the introduction of this Bill?
Madam, as a society, we have faced the priority on pragmatism, especially in order to achieve a positive social outcome. In this case, the enhancement of social peace and harmony is aligned with an opportunity to show kindness and to help some unfortunate members of our society who have been rehabilitated following an offence and an appropriate prison term. Stronger efforts and social integration will be more effective in helping ex-inmates turn over a new leaf. With that, I support the Bill.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Prisons (Amendment) Bill that is before Parliament today. In recent years, the rate of recidivism for released persons has decreased consistently. However, a significant majority of released persons who return to prison are repeat offenders. Once a person is caught in the vicious cycle of re-offending and imprisonment, it is often difficult for that person to break out of the cycle easily. This is especially so for released persons who do not have any support from their families, loved ones or from the community at large.
Therefore, in this amendment to the Prisons Act, MHA seeks to introduce two programmes, namely, the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme and Conditional Remission System, that they hope will allow released persons to break out of the cycle of re-offending, and to rehabilitate and reintegrate back into cycle of re-offending, and to rehabilitate and reintegrate back into society after their release from imprisonment.
I support this Bill for two reasons: first, the amendments introduced in this Bill are timely, as they seek to introduce programmes that address real problems that repeat offenders face in trying to escape the vicious cycle of re-offending and imprisonment; secondly, these initiatives provide released
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persons with an incentive to turn over a new leaf and to be rehabilitated and reintegrated back into the wider Singapore fold.
After all, everyone makes mistakes, and deserving individuals should be allowed and encouraged by the community to return back into the Singapore community fold, as equal members, and should be given the opportunity to excel and overcome.
I think it is important that we refer to such individuals as released persons rather than ex-offenders or ex-inmates. In recognising them as released persons, we are acknowledging that these individuals are deserving of being conditionally released and reintegrated back into society, based on good behaviour and discipline during their time in prison.
First, the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme (MAS) assists in the rehabilitation of released persons back into society by providing enhanced community support, mandatory counselling and case management in the crucial period immediately after their release from imprisonment.
The progressive step-down approach envisioned under the MAS facilitates the gradual rehabilitation and reintegration of a released person back into the community fold, and reduces the public stigma that these released persons often face. Furthermore, this initiative provides a released person with the opportunity to be gainfully employed, to be reconciled with his family and loved ones, and to make a go for himself in society.
The song, \"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree\", describes the tale of a released person at the start of his journey of rehabilitation and forgiveness. The lyrics go,
[(proc text) \"I'm coming home, I've done my time; and I have to know what is (proc text)]
[(proc text) or isn't mine. If you received my letter, telling you I'd soon be free; (proc text)]
[(proc text) then you'd know just what to do, if you still want me.\" (proc text)]
Prior to his release, that man in the song had written a message to his wife, asking her to show that she had forgiven him by tying a yellow ribbon around the oak tree. Much to his relief, more than a hundred yellow ribbons greeted him on his return, signifying his forgiveness and acceptance back into the family
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and the community.
As you would probably have realised, this song serves as the inspiration for the Yellow Ribbon Project, which has become a key programme in the rehabilitation and reintegration of released persons back into our society. As the slogan for the project, \"Help Unlock the Second Prison\" suggests, many released persons in our midst might be free from the physical state of imprisonment, but yet, they still face the \"second prison\" of discrimination and being ostracised in society.
It is my hope that the MAS will work in conjunction and build upon existing community-driven projects like the Yellow Ribbon Project, which reconciles these released persons with their community and increases their acceptance as part of our society. Until and unless we increase efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate released persons back into society, they will continue to be imprisoned and face discrimination from the wider community.
With this in mind, it is particularly beneficial that the MAS applies to persons who are convicted of drug offences, because the rehabilitation of drug offenders must focus both on the physical and mental aspects in order for it to be effective. The tighter supervision and more structured approach to rehabilitation envisioned under the MAS ensure that released drug offenders have all the necessary assistance and support that they might require to break out of the cycle of drug abuse and imprisonment. Under the MAS, the Prison Service can also closely supervise the progress of their rehabilitation and monitor their movements, through restrictions like curfew hours and electronic monitoring.
Essentially, the success of a released person's rehabilitation is dependent on the effort that they make as an individual to make amends for their mistakes, as well as the openness of the community to welcome them back into society. Hence, I am confident that the MAS will be effective as a stepping-stone for the eventual reintegration of the released person back into society.
Secondly, the Conditional Remission System (CRS) ensures that released persons are incentivised to turn over a new leaf, and to break out of the cycle of re-offending. By imposing the basic condition that persons released under the CRS should not be convicted of another offence during the remission period, these released persons will be more cautious and reluctant to re-offend. In the event that they do re-offend during the remission period, the courts will be empowered to sentence the released person for breaching the basic condition,
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with an imprisonment term capped at the remaining portion of the remission period.
However, in sentencing the released person for breaching the basic condition of the Conditional Remission Order, the court may take into account the circumstances and reasons for the re-offence. With the introduction of the CRS, the courts now have flexibility and versatility to take such factors into account when sentencing released persons who breach the basic condition during their remission period. While we must correct the wrongdoing that has been committed by the released persons, we should try to understand the motivation behind their actions and to show them more compassion.
Therefore, taken together, the MAS and CRS will strengthen the Prison Service's system of throughcare for released persons in the crucial period immediately after their release. These two initiatives will reinforce and enhance existing programmes and resources that are already in place to assist in the rehabilitation and reintegration of released persons back into our Singaporean society, such as the Community-Based Programme (CBP), the CARE Network, and the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE).
Ultimately, while it is essential that we remain firm on those who commit crime, there is an equally important need to advocate the rehabilitation and reintegration of these people back into society. Some people have had harder roads in life than others, and we should not be so quick to point fingers and apportion blame or criticism on those who may have made mistakes in their lives.
MHA and the Prison Service must be commended for their continued and unwavering effort to encourage the rehabilitation and reintegration of released persons back into our society in Singapore. Ours must be a compassionate society that seeks to welcome back our brothers and sisters who are on that arduous journey of rehabilitation and reconciliation.
If these released persons are willing to make amends for their mistakes and are ready to turn over a new leaf, we, as a community, must be ready to support their rehabilitation, to assist in their reintegration into society, and to welcome them back into the community fold with open arms. I support the Bill.
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The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M): Mdm Speaker, I thank all the Members who have spoken in support of the Bill and the two new policy initiatives: the Conditional Remission System (CRS) and the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme (MAS).
Members have raised a number of points on the CRS and MAS, and also the other amendments to the Prisons Act, and I will address each in turn.
I am glad that Members, such as Mr Christopher de Souza and Dr Janil Puthucheary, are just as concerned about the problem of re-offending and the vicious cycle that repeat offenders face. Dr Janil asked about the main reasons for recidivism. There is often no simple, single answer or even a solution to this. Rather, the underlying causes are typically multi-faceted.
However, based on our research and interviews with inmates and ex-inmates, as well as findings from international literature, the presence of factors, such as employment, accommodation and family support, typically reduce the risk of reoffending, especially when inmates are most vulnerable in the initial years upon release. Yes, and to address Mrs Chiam's concerns, we do rely on academic literature as well as expert advice in charting our course ahead. I would also like to highlight that the individual's will to change is also very important, in determining whether the process of \"desistance\" occurs, as implied by Assoc Prof Eugene Tan yesterday.
Let me now touch on the issues relating to remission and the CRS. Dr Janil asked whether the CRS will be effective in deterrence. Given the complexity of the factors contributing to recidivism, it would be difficult indeed to determine for now whether the deterrent effect of the CRS will be different between first-timers and repeat offenders. However, we will continue to monitor the situation after the CRS is implemented.
I would also like to respond to Mr Hri Kumar's question on the application of the CRS to those committed for debt under the Debtors Act. Currently, the Prisons Regulations also provide that remission does not apply to inmates committed for debt. A debtor may be committed by the Courts to prison for not paying his debt in certain limited circumstances and not because he had committed a criminal offence. There is no change from the current position today.
Default sentences on the other hand are imposed on a person, should he be unable to pay a fine. Such a person will continue to be released at the two-
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third mark and will not be subject to conditions upon release. Persons serving default sentences will not be subject to the CRS. This is for parity with those who were able to pay their fines.
Assoc Prof Eugene Tan asked about when inmates will be released. Inmates will continue to be released at the two-third mark. Upon release, they will then be issued with a Conditional Remission Order which will last till the end of their sentence. Inmates who breach prison discipline will still have their release delayed beyond the two-third mark. This is no different from the situation today. Remission continues to be an incentive for good behaviour and conduct. The relevant provisions are specified in section 50I of clause 7.
I would also like to reassure Ms Sylvia Lim that we are not changing the power of the President to grant remission under this Act. The power of the President to grant remission without limit is provided for under Article 22P of the Constitution. Hence, this obviates the need for such a provision in the Prisons Regulations, which predated the Constitution.
Next, I am glad that Ms Lim supports the provision to review inmates who have served more than 20 years in prison for release. As also raised by Mrs Chiam, we will be setting up an independent Review Board to review these cases and advise the Minister accordingly. The assessment will be based on a holistic set of factors that include his conduct and progress in prison and his risk of re-offending. This is similar to the arrangement for inmates who have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Ms Lim also touched on the forfeiture and subsequent restoration of remission. Under the Prisons Regulations, an inmate may forfeit up to 180 days of remission for an offence committed in prison. Currently, the Superintendent may restore up to seven days of remission which had previously been forfeited by an inmate. The new section 77A empowers the Superintendent to restore remission that had previously been forfeited by an inmate, but does not impose a limit on the number of days that can be restored.
The intent of section 77A is not to reverse earlier decisions where remission was forfeited. Indeed, it creates the opportunity and incentive for good conduct and behaviour among inmates. Superintendents will not have unfettered discretion in restoring remission. The Commissioner of Prisons will set guidelines, which all Prison Superintendents must adhere to, in the exercise of these powers. For example, when an inmate remains offence-free for a certain time period, a number of his days of forfeited remission may be restored to him.
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Therefore, it is the behaviour of the inmate that determines whether forfeited remission is restored, rather than the authority which ordered the forfeiture.
Let me move on to the MAS. The objective of the MAS is to help ex-inmates help themselves. We will do this by giving them structured support and assistance to stay crime-free and out of prison. All inmates convicted of offences specified in the First Schedule to the Act will be emplaced on the MAS. Mr Hri Kumar had asked why certain offences in the Misuse of Drugs Regulations were included. We took a comprehensive approach in listing the drug and property offences linked to the drug problem. The Commissioner of Prisons, however, will have the discretion to determine specific MAS conditions for the ex-inmate, depending on a holistic set of factors, such as the nature of offence, criminal antecedents, progress in prison, risk of re-offending and family support.
The MAS provides continuity to the incare rehabilitation programmes that inmates receive while in prison. It builds on, brings together, and improves upon existing aftercare programmes as part of Prisons' broader throughcare strategy. The intent is, as Assoc Prof Tan has mentioned, to provide a smooth transition for the inmate to reintegrate into society. I disagree with Mrs Chiam that we do not need to do more for inmates. Even though recidivism rates are falling and are currently about 25%, inmates to be emplaced on MAS are at higher risk of re-offending with recidivism rates of up to 40% to 50%. And we must give them more help. Each ex-inmate, or \"released person\" as Mr de Souza has said, and I like that term better than \"ex-inmate\", emplaced on the MAS will be assigned a case worker prior to his release.
As part of the casework process, the case worker will refer them to the various social assistance programmes available to address their needs. These include short-term financial assistance, shelter and housing, skills training and job matching.
The MAS is not a journey that the ex-inmate embarks on alone, but one undertaken with the support of his family and the community. I agree with Mr Zainal Bin Sapari, Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap and Assoc Prof Tan that the community as a whole, including families and potential employers, play important roles in supporting the MAS. This is important even during the incare phase, and Prisons already actively involves inmates' families in the rehabilitation process. Prisons will also continue to engage families after inmates have been released from prison under the MAS. Similarly, SCORE provides inmates with vocational training and employment matching before their release. In answer to Dr Janil, SCORE also works with employers to match
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inmates and ex-inmates to jobs after their release. In 2012, SCORE emplaced 5,840 offenders on its employment and reintegration programmes. This is almost double the number in 2008. Of those assisted by SCORE, almost 98% of them successfully secured employment in 2012.
We also recognise that religion can play a part in the reintegration process. We have a comprehensive support structure of community partners, including religious and grassroots organisations, community self-help groups, and Family Service Centres, that work with inmates in prison and are ready to provide a pro-social network of volunteers and befrienders to ex-inmates and assist them in their reintegration into society. Such engagements begin while the inmates are still in prison so that it is a smooth transition to the aftercare phase when they return to society. Prisons provides training for these community partners.
For example, Prisons works closely with community self-help groups, such as MENDAKI and SINDA, to provide incare and aftercare support for high-risk inmates and their families. This is known as wrap-around care, which provides support to both inmates and their families during this difficult time. Prisons is also working on a pilot project with the National Council of Social Services to leverage on localised Family Service Centres to provide even better wrap-around care for inmates and their families to meet their specific needs.
I agree, therefore, with Mr Faisal that support services provided by case workers during the MAS should be accessible to ex-inmates and that proximity is important. They should ideally be near where ex-inmates live or work. This is why the centres for MAS casework and counselling will be located across Singapore.
Our multi-stakeholder approach to throughcare has worked well and we will continue to work closely with the various stakeholders and community partners on our throughcare programmes.
Next, I would like to reassure Mr Zainal and Assoc Prof Tan that before an inmate is released on the MAS, Prisons will first make a holistic assessment of each individual based on factors, such as the nature of offence, criminal antecedents, progress in prison, risk of re-offending, and family support. Each inmate will then be emplaced on a suitable programme within the MAS. Not all individuals will have to go through all the three MAS phases of a halfway house stay, home supervision and community reintegration. Some may be placed on the halfway house phase while others may be placed directly on the home
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supervision phase.
The time spent and the intensity of the programme at each phase depends on the ex-inmate's progress over the course of the MAS, which will last for up to two years, even for inmates sentenced to life imprisonment or who have long sentences, and not indefinitely as Mrs Chiam thought.
Let me describe the regime for an inmate under the MAS. Take the example of an inmate who is a repeat drug abuser and was sentenced to long-term imprisonment for six years. He is subsequently released from prison after serving four years, or at the two-third mark of his six-year sentence. He is then issued a CRO and subject to the basic condition for two years. As a drug offender, he is also emplaced on the MAS for up to two years.
Based on Prisons' assessment of this inmate's circumstances, he is emplaced in a halfway house upon his release. The halfway house programme is a residential programme that will last for at least six months. There, he undergoes regular counselling and casework sessions to address his rehabilitation and aftercare needs. These sessions are meant to address his criminogenic needs and risk factors of re-offending. He will be able to leave the halfway house during the day to work.
After several months in the halfway house, he is assessed to be coping well and making good progress in his rehabilitation and reintegration journey. Hence, he is allowed to return home and continues on the MAS while on home supervision.
When on home supervision, he is subject to curfew hours and electronic monitoring, and continues to attend counselling and casework sessions. After several months on home supervision, he is assessed to be progressing well. He will then be placed on the final phase of the MAS, the community reintegration phase. As part of community reintegration, he is no longer subject to curfew hours or electronic monitoring. However, he will still need to attend counselling and casework sessions. This will continue till the end of his time on the MAS, which will be for up to two years.
The example shows how the MAS is a structured programme with progressive step-down aftercare arrangements to help the individual reintegrate into society, build resilience to stay crime-free, and adapt to \"post-imprisonment realities\", as Assoc Prof Tan put it. However, I would like to emphasise again that it is just as important that ex-inmates be motivated to help
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themselves.
There will be consequences when MAS ex-inmates breach their conditions. Mr Hri Kumar and Mrs Chiam asked about what constituted a minor and a serious breach. An ex-inmate would have committed a minor breach, for example, when he misses his counselling sessions or breaches his curfew hours. For such breaches, the Commissioner of Prisons may administer punishments, from tightening the ex-inmate's conditions to temporarily recalling him to prison. An ex-inmate would have committed a serious breach, for example, if he tampers with his electronic monitoring device, or if he has committed multiple minor breaches. For such breaches, the courts may sentence the ex-inmate to imprisonment for up to the remaining duration of his remission period at the time of the serious breach.
Minor and serious breaches will be stipulated in the Prisons Regulations. The body administering punishments for breaches is calibrated to the severity of the consequences of the breach.
Mrs Chiam asked what steps must the Commissioner take before he is satisfied that a minor breach has been committed. Yes, he will be given a chance to explain his actions and hear the evidence against him. The intent of the MAS is not to punish the ex-inmate but to assist him in his rehabilitation and reintegration journey. There will also be an independent Advisory Committee set up to advise the Director of Prisons on MAS-related matters. This can include appeals from inmates themselves.
As several Members noted, the CRS and MAS are significant undertakings for Prisons. I would like to reassure Members that Prisons has sufficient capacity should there be an increase in the prison population arising from breaches of the basic condition and MAS conditions.
At the same time, with the implementation of the MAS, Prisons will be building up its aftercare capabilities and strengthening the aftercare sector as a whole. Prisons will be developing a halfway house in the new Selarang Park Complex to provide a structured environment to supervise and rehabilitate ex-inmates emplaced on the MAS. It will cater to both male and female ex-inmates, and will complement the efforts of our current halfway house partners who work with lower-risk inmates. Prisons will also engage more counsellors and case workers. Furthermore, Prisons has recently developed a new training and development framework to raise the competencies and capabilities of personnel and volunteers in the aftercare sector to support ex-inmates in the
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community.
We will continue to work closely with our community partners, including halfway houses, to raise the capabilities within the sector. These are worthwhile investments and initiatives. We hope to see improvements in recidivism rates over the longer term with fewer ex-inmates returning to prison and a lower prison population over time.
Next, I would like to clarify that the MAS will not replace but will build on current aftercare programmes that are already in place or aftercare programmes run by our community partners – the Singapore After-Care Association (SACA) and the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) – which all ex-inmates may register for after their release from prison or after they have completed their MAS. Halfway houses that are operated by VWOs also accept walk-in from ex-inmates. Those who are not covered by the MAS will continue to be able to benefit from these programmes.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the amendments to the provision on the employment of auxiliary police officers (APOs) as escorts and guards. The objective of these proposed amendments is to facilitate the expanded deployment of APOs so that prison officers can focus on the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates. APOs currently assist prison officers with escorting inmates of low and medium security risk to external locations, such as the Courts or hospitals, and guarding them while there. This amended provision will enable APOs to be deployed for functions, such as inmate escort within the prison complex and prison patrol. They will not be involved in rehabilitation functions. APOs deployed within the prison setting will continue to receive specialised training to deal with inmates and will be fully supervised by prison officers.
The amendments will neither compromise prison security nor the safe custody of inmates. Prisons remains fully accountable for the safe custody of inmates both within and outside of prison.
Finally, on the External Placement Scheme (EPS), I would like to clarify Assoc Prof Tan's point about the EPS, as well as address Ms Lim's queries on the need for and safeguards for the EPS. The EPS is distinct from the MAS. The EPS, unlike the MAS, is not meant to be a step-down arrangement to facilitate reintegration. The EPS is meant to right-site inmates in places more suited for their physical or mental conditions. The scheme will be tightly scoped. For a start, we will limit eligibility only to inmates who have been certified by Prisons-
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appointed medical specialists as being at the end-stage of a terminal illness with a poor prognosis. In addition, the Minister will be advised by an independent committee that will include medical professionals. Finally, the inmate will be subject to conditions and restrictions and closely monitored. The placement can be cancelled at any time if the inmate's circumstances change and external placement is no longer deemed appropriate.
Mdm Speaker, I am glad that Members generally agree with me that there is a need to do more to deter offending and re-offending and help ex-inmates rehabilitate and reintegrate into society. The amendments which seek to introduce the CRS and MAS will strengthen Prisons' throughcare system, particularly in the aftercare phase. These two initiatives mark a paradigm shift in our rehabilitation of inmates. However, the inmate's motivation and will to change and his determination to turn over a new leaf for the sake of his family and himself is critical. Together with the support of the community and employers, we will help ex-inmates break the cycle of re-offending, return to their families, and reintegrate into society. I urge Members of the House to give support to the Prisons (Amendment) Bill.
Mdm Speaker: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Thank you, Madam. I just have one clarification for the Senior Minister of State concerning the MAS. It is stated in section 50V that MAS conditions are discretionary – that the conditions may be imposed on the released persons who qualify under the various criteria. I would like the Senior Minister of State to clarify if he anticipates that there would be qualified released persons who are not subject to any conditions under MAS or will everybody be subject to at least one of the conditions in MAS.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Thank you for the clarification. Every offender who has committed an offence under the Schedule will be subject to the MAS. But they will not always be emplaced on the first phase, which is the halfway house phase. They may be emplaced even at the last phase, depending on the assessment we make for them.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
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[(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 Masagos Zulkifli B M M]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
[(proc text) Clause 1 ‒ (proc text)]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 2 ‒ (proc text)]
The Chairman: Clause 2, Senior Minister of State.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move the amendment* standing in my name, as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendment read as follows: (proc text)]
[(proc text) In page 2, line 30, leave out \"of imprisonment\". (proc text)]
The amendment clarifies that the External Placement Scheme applies to all judicial sentences involving detention in a prison, and not only a sentence of imprisonment in the strict sense.
[(proc text) Amendment agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 3 to 6 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 7 ‒ (proc text)]
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The Chairman: Clause 7 – there are six amendments. Senior Minister of State.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, in respect of amendments (1) to (3), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement, may I seek your permission to move all of them together as the amendments are related?
The Chairman: Please proceed.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move amendments* (1) to (3), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendments read as follows: (proc text)]
[(proc text) (1) In page 12, lines 17 and 23, to leave out \"2038\" and insert \"2037\"; (proc text)]
[(proc text) (2) In page 12, lines 20, 22 and 27, to leave out \"2034\" and insert \"2033\"; and (proc text)]
[(proc text) (3) In page 12, line 27, to leave out \"1 year and\". (proc text)]
The amendments correct certain calculation errors in the Illustration to the new section 50K(4).
[(proc text) Amendments agreed to. (proc text)]
The Chairman: Amendments (4) and (5).
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, in respect of amendments (4) and (5), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement, may I seek your permission to move both of them together as the amendments are related?
The Chairman: Yes, please.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move amendments* (4) and (5), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendments read as follows: (proc text)]
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[(proc text) (4) In page 19, lines 1 and 22, after \"sentence\", insert \"(excluding a default sentence)\"; and (proc text)]
[(proc text) (5) In page 19, lines 5 and 23, after \"imprisonment\", insert \"(excluding a default sentence)\". (proc text)]
The amendments clarify that default sentences are not relevant for the purposes of the MAS.
[(proc text) Amendments agreed to. (proc text)]
The Chairman: Amendment No (6).
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move amendment* (6), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendment read as follows: (proc text)]
[(proc text) (6) In page 33, to leave out lines 20 to 23. (proc text)]
The amendment leaves out the Illustration to section 50ZF, which is unnecessary.
[(proc text) Amendment agreed to. (proc text)]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clause 7, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clauses 8 to 11 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 12 ‒ (proc text)]
The Chairman: Clause 12 – there are five amendments. Senior Minister of State.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, in respect of amendments (1), (2), (3) and (5), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement, may I seek your
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permission to move all of them together as the amendments are related?
The Chairman: Yes, please.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move amendments* (1), (2) , (3) and (5), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendments read as follows: (proc text)]
[(proc text) (1) In page 36, line 19, to leave out \"of imprisonment\"; (proc text)]
[(proc text) (2) In page 37, lines 11 and 26, to leave out \"of imprisonment\"; (proc text)]
[(proc text) (3) In page 40, line 17, to leave out \"of imprisonment\"; and (proc text)]
[(proc text) (5) In page 41, line 10, to leave out \"of imprisonment\". (proc text)]
The amendments clarify that the External Placement Scheme applies to all judicial sentences involving detention in a prison, and not only a sentence of imprisonment in the strict sense.
[(proc text) Amendments agreed to. (proc text)]
The Chairman: Amendment No (4). Senior Minister of State.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move amendment* (4), as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendment read as follows: (proc text)]
[(proc text) (4) In page 40, line 19, to leave out \"Subject to subsection (2), where\" and insert \"Where\". (proc text)]
The amendment corrects a drafting error.
[(proc text) Amendment agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 12, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
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[(proc text) Clauses 13-18 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 19 ‒ (proc text)]
The Chairman: Clause 19, Senior Minister of State Masagos.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Madam, I beg to move the amendment* standing in my name, as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) *The amendment read as follows: (proc text)]
[(proc text) In page 54, line 2, after \"conviction\", to insert \"and sentence of imprisonment (excluding a default sentence), corrective training, preventive detention or reformative training\". (proc text)]
The amendment tightens the definition of antecedent to exclude convictions for which only a default sentence was given.
[(proc text) Amendment agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clause 19, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Clauses 20 to 22 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 with amendments, 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":"Government Procurement (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Finance (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
\tPage: 65
In 1997, Singapore acceded to the World Trade Organisation's Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). Parliament passed the Government Procurement Bill later in the same year.
Signatory governments are required to abide by GPA principles of openness, non-discrimination and fairness for the areas of government procurement that they committed to.
By signing on to the GPA, Singapore suppliers would be better able to participate and compete in government tenders called by signatories, such as the US, the European Union, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei.
The Government Procurement Act and its subsidiary legislations put into law the obligations of the Singapore Government as a signatory to the GPA. In addition, they also reflect our obligations in other Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with GPA signatories, namely, the US, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
The GPA has been re-negotiated among the signatories. The revised GPA terms were endorsed by the GPA Committee under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation in March 2012. Signatories, including Singapore, pledged to align their respective procurement rules with the revised GPA.
Under the revised GPA, Singapore suppliers will be granted greater access to government procurement opportunities in GPA signatories. For example, some signatories, like the US, the European Union and Switzerland, have committed more central government entities under the revised Agreement. There will also be greater alignment in the procurement rules of the GPA signatories.
In return for the improvements offered by other GPA signatories, Singapore committed one more service to be covered under the revised GPA. The additional service now covered by GPA rules is \"executive search services\". What this means is that when Singapore Government agencies procure executive search services, they must do so in a manner that complies with the GPA obligations.
In terms of procurement rules, the revised GPA mainly spells out more clearly what is required of signatories and these adjustments will be reflected in the subsidiary legislations. For example, the revised GPA requires all evaluation criteria, including the relative importance of the criteria to be stated
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upfront in the tender documents. This increases the transparency of the evaluation process and would benefit suppliers, including those from Singapore. As our existing procurement rules are already substantially in compliance with the revised GPA obligations, there is no significant change to our existing rules.
To give legal effect to the obligations under the revised GPA, updates to our current legislations are necessary. The changes proposed to the current Government Procurement Act in this Amendment Bill are technical changes. The amendments are to insert the reference to the revised GPA and subsequently update the definitions of the \"relevant states\" and \"relevant suppliers\" covered under the Act to reflect the signatories to the revised Agreement. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – (Mrs Josephine Teo). (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 5 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
Mdm Speaker: Order. I propose to take the break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair again at 4.30 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 4.08 pm until 4.30 pm.
\tPage: 67
Sitting resumed at 4.30 pm
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulation of Imports and Exports (Amendment) 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 Regulation of Imports and Exports Act (RIEA) requires all traders to apply for a permit to bring goods in and out of Singapore. Apart from ensuring that only legitimate trade passes Singapore, the RIEA provides Singapore Customs with the authority to collect import and export information through the traders' declarations.
This Bill proposes amendments to the RIEA to allow Singapore Customs to share traders' declared information with other domestic public agencies to enable them to fulfil public duties and safeguard public interests. The Bill also contains technical amendments to the RIEA and the Customs Act to ensure effective administration of the legislations.
Currently, information declared by traders is strictly confidential and can only be disclosed with traders' consent, or if the information is needed for investigation, enforcement or prosecution purposes under the RIEA, or if it is intended to comply with a prescribed trade agreement.
The proposed amendments will allow Singapore Customs to disclose information declared by traders to other domestic public agencies under specific circumstances. With the amendments, Singapore Customs will be allowed to disclose such information to safeguard national security, public health and safety, for investigation and prosecution of offences under domestic laws other than the RIEA, or for the analysis of trade trends and formulation of trade policies that will help safeguard or advance Singapore's economic interests.
Safeguards will be put in place to protect the confidentiality of trader-specific trade data. The Minister for Trade and Industry's approval will have to be sought for each request for trader-specific information by Government agencies. Every request for such information will be considered carefully, and
\tPage: 68
will be granted only when there is a strong justification to do so. Any information disclosed to the domestic public agencies will also be governed by the Official Secrets Act. Clause 3 of the Bill provides for this change.
Mdm Speaker, the remaining legislative changes in the Bill are technical in nature. They either provide greater legal clarity on the application of specific provisions under the RIEA, or allow for closer alignment in the legal texts in the RIEA and Customs Act.
Overall, the amendments in this Bill preserve the fundamental principles of the RIEA, which is to regulate imports and exports for the purpose of upholding our national security and economic well-being. In our public consultations, we have not received any objections to the proposed amendments from business communities or the general public.
To conclude, the RIEA will be amended primarily to facilitate the disclosure of traders' declared information with domestic public agencies for the fulfilment of public duties and safeguarding of public interests. Such data sharing will be subject to safeguards, to protect sensitive commercial data and uphold our integrity as a trading hub. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Lim Hng Kiang]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 5 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]
\tPage: 69
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Law (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Madam, this Bill contains a number of amendments to several Acts which are mainly technical in nature. Let me highlight the key ones.
The amendments to the Casino Control Act – clause 3 of the Bill amends the Casino Control Act to insert a new provision at section 139 to require a casino operator to take customer due diligence measures, under certain circumstances, in order to detect or prevent money laundering and terrorism financing.
The casino operators will also be required to keep records and any analysis obtained from such measures for minimally five years, and to do so in a manner that permits a reconstruction of each transaction so that they can serve as evidence should there be a prosecution for an offence.
These requirements are not new. They are already substantially set out in the Casino Control (Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Regulations 2009 promulgated by the Casino Regulatory Authority.
MHA has decided to expressly provide for them in the main Casino Control Act to align our legislation with the revised standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), of which Singapore is a member.
Next, there are the amendments to the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation Act – clause 6 of the Bill amends the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation Act.
The Permanent Secretary (Home Affairs) will replace the Public Service Commission as the authority to reduce or withhold the benefits from the INVEST Plan for any member who is a civil defence officer, a narcotics officer, a prisons officer or senior police officer, where the member has been found
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guilty of some misconduct.
This power to reduce or withhold INVEST Plan benefits is already subject to concurrence by the Public Service Commission under Article 113 of the Constitution.
The amendment will ensure that the Public Service Commission does not have to perform the dual role of deciding whether to reduce or withhold INVEST Plan benefits under the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Superannuation Act; and also concur with its own decision under the Constitution.
Next, amendments to the Trade Marks Act, Patents Act and Registered Designs Act – Clause 7 of the Bill amends the Patents Act to allow the Schedule of the Patents Act to be amended by way of a Ministerial order, so that amendments of a consequential or procedural nature can be made more efficiently in the future.
We propose to extend the definition of \"related national phase application\" so as to allow additional instances in which Singapore patent applications can rely on the search and examination results of such \"related national phase applications\". This gives the patent applicants the benefit of more options.
To facilitate the implementation of the Positive Grant System, the amendments also provide for a set of administrative conditions that must be complied with before patents are granted.
Consequential amendments to the Schedule of the Patents Act are required to align certain definitions, such as \"traditional medicine\" and \"Chinese proprietary medicine\", to those in the Medicines (Traditional Medicines, Homeopathic Medicines and other Substances) (Exemption) Order.
Clauses 7, 8 and 13 of the Bill amend the Trade Marks Act, Patents Act and Registered Designs Act to allow the Registrar to appoint a panel of IP Adjudicators at the Registries of Trade Marks, Patents and Registered Designs.
This would open another avenue to bring in good legal minds to Singapore to augment the Hearing and Mediation Tribunal at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), which adjudicates disputes relating to IP applications and registrations.
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IP Adjudicators supplement the existing specialist tribunal at IPOS which already hears such disputes. Together, our specialist tribunal and these new IP Adjudicators will enhance Singapore's reputation for quality IP decisions.
To improve the transparency of information relating to interests in registered IP, clauses 7, 8 and 13 of the Bill will enable the recording of express trusts and beneficiaries of express trusts on the Trade Marks Register, Patents Register and Registered Designs Register. This is a business-friendly move in support of Singapore's goal to be a hub for IP transactions.
Next, amendments to the Road Traffic Act – clause 9 of the Bill is an administrative amendment to delete section 82 of the Road Traffic Act, and the portion of section 66(3) which makes reference to section 82.
Section 82 of the Road Traffic Act requires the issuance of a warning, the service of a summons, or service of a notice of intended prosecution via registered mail within 30 days for three traffic offences, namely, speeding, dangerous/reckless driving and driving without due care or reasonable consideration for other road users.
The proposed amendments seek to streamline enforcement processes in respect of these offences. The provision is no longer required as the person will already be notified of possible prosecution action for the offence when he is issued with a notice under section 81 to give information of the particulars of the driver at the time of the offence. The amendments allow notices for all traffic offences to be sent via normal mail. Following such notices, the registered vehicle owner will be given adequate opportunities to clarify the identity of the driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence.
The use of normal mail is more efficient than registered mail as it does not require the motorist to collect such mail from the post office if he is not able to receive the mail at the first instance. It is also less costly.
Next, amendments to the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act – clause 12 of the Bill amends the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act to expand the definition of a \"police officer\" to include a Commercial Affairs Officer from the Police Force's Commercial Affairs Department who is involved in conducting investigations into terrorism financing.
The term is used in sections 8, 10, 10B and 11 of the Act, namely, requiring any person with information about terrorist property or terrorist financing to
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disclose it to a Police officer, criminalising the act of tipping off in respect of investigations conducted by a Police officer, and authorising a Police officer to search and seize terrorist property.
Amendments to the United Nations Act – The United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Regulations currently make it an offence to, inter alia, export, sell, supply or ship arms to any terrorist or to provide any terrorist with technical advice, assistance or training related to military activities.
Clause 14 of the Bill increases the penalties for such terrorism-related offences to enhance their deterrent effect.
The maximum fine for these offences will be raised from $100,000 to $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for entities. The maximum imprisonment term for these offences will be raised from five years to 10 years.
This is in line with the penalties provided under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act and will thus ensure consistency across our anti-terrorism legislation. Madam, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Madam, I refer to clause 9 of the Bill and I have one concern about the Road Traffic Amendment.
This clause will delete section 82 of the Road Traffic Act, which currently provides that when persons are to be charged with certain driving offences, the Police must warn him at the time of the incident or at least within 30 days that he may face prosecution for it. This provision is conducive to a fair trial, as it alerts the driver early, so that he can secure his evidence and witnesses promptly to answer to the charge later on.
The Bill proposes to delete this requirement. The rationale for the deletion is in the Explanatory Note, which states that \"the provision is no longer required as the person will already be notified of possible prosecution action for the offence when he is issued with a notice under section 81 to give information on the particulars of the driver at the time of the offence\".
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However, Madam, I did not see any timeline set on the Police to send such notices for information to the owner. Madam, we do receive feedback from residents that Traffic Police notices are sometimes received months after the event. How long does the Police take to send the notices for information under section 81 after an offence is suspected? If there is a risk that the notice will go out later than 30 days after an incident, this should be tightened up as it would not be fair to the owner or driver of the vehicle.
Ms Indranee Rajah: Madam, I understand the Member's concern and, indeed, as the Member says, the rationale of giving such a notice is to alert the driver early of the potential prosecution so that evidence can be secured. Specifically, the Member asks whether there is any time limit for the Police to issue the notice for information. In this case, Traffic Police will have a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place to prevent long delays. Under the SOP, notices will be sent out generally within one to two weeks from the time the offence is disclosed. The registered vehicle owners will have seven days to respond. If there is no response, a second notice will be sent via registered mail and this will be within 30 days of the offence being disclosed. As such, there will be no delay caused by the amendments. This is with respect to the request for particulars which is sent to the owner of the vehicle.
In some cases, of course, the driver may not be the owner of the vehicle. If the registered vehicle owner provides details of the driver, who is different from the registered owner, then a notice of traffic offence will be sent to the driver within one week if the offence is compoundable. A second notice will be sent via registered mail if there is no response. If the offence is not compoundable, then a notice to attend Court will be sent within one month via registered mail. And registered vehicle owners and drivers will have adequate opportunities to respond. The Traffic Police will also contact the registered owner over the phone if there are repeated failures to respond to the notices or, in the appropriate case, to the driver. I hope that this allays the Member's concerns.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Ms Indranee Rajah]. (proc text)]
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[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Mdm Speaker in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 15 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":"Subordinate Courts (Amendment) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Law (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Madam, this Bill seeks to amend the Subordinate Courts Act to enhance the standing of the Subordinate Courts.
The Subordinate Courts play an integral role in the administration of justice in Singapore. It is before these Courts where a vast majority of people seek access to justice and the protection of our laws each day. More than 95% of our Judiciary's total caseload is handled by the Subordinate Courts and its annual volume averages about 350,000 cases.
In October last year, the Subordinate Courts were conferred the World Class Award. This is the highest honour for global performance excellence conferred by the Asia Pacific Quality Organisation. The Subordinate Courts have also received very positive feedback in court user surveys.
These are impressive achievements, and reinforce the continued faith the country has in the Judiciary.
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Over the past few years, the Subordinate Courts have introduced initiatives to ensure that it remains a beacon of integrity that discharges its functions impartially, fairly and professionally. In 2010, the Subordinate Courts reviewed and launched a new Justice Statement, which emphasised public trust and confidence. Last year, its judges began donning robes, a symbol of authority, when presiding over hearings in open Court.
Today, this Bill introduces three changes:
First, to rename the \"Subordinate Courts\" as \"State Courts\";
Second, to replace the office of the \"Chief District Judge\" with the office of the \"Presiding Judge of the State Courts\"; and
Third, to increase the minimum statutory requirement for a legally qualified person to be a Magistrate and District Judge from one year to three years, and five to seven years respectively.
I will now take the House through the main features of the Bill.
The majority of the Bill concerns the renaming of the \"Subordinate Courts\" to the \"State Courts\". However, the amendments go beyond a name change. They underline the reality that the lower Courts are the primary dispensers of justice.
As the Chief Justice noted in his address at this year's Opening of the Legal Year, \"The revised nomenclature will better reflect the primary position that these Courts occupy within our judicial system\".
The nomenclature \"State Courts\" was chosen as it reflects the important national function that the State Courts perform in adjudicating disputes and dispensing justice, and combines dignity with gravitas.
With these amendments, the \"State Courts\" will replace the \"Subordinate Courts\" as the collective name for the District Courts, Magistrate Courts, Juvenile Courts, Coroner's Court and Small Claims Tribunal.
There will, however, be no change to the designations, scope of work and jurisdiction of these constituent Courts. Judicial Officers of the State Courts will also continue to be appointed as Magistrates and/or District Judges of the State
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Courts.
Second, clauses 5 and 6 replace the office of \"Chief District Judge\" (CDJ) with the office of the \"Presiding Judge of the State Courts\" (PJSC). The office of the CDJ is the apex post of the Subordinate Courts. In 2010, we re-designated this post from \"Senior District Judge\" to \"Chief District Judge\". That was mainly a nomenclature change.
Today's Bill goes further. Whereas the office of the CDJ has traditionally been occupied by officers of the Singapore Legal Service, the Bill provides that the PJSC shall be a Judge or Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court. The elevation of the position of the PJSC reflects the wide-ranging jurisdiction and the power vested in the State Courts, and the growing complexity of the cases filed there. For instance, the civil jurisdiction of the State Courts has increased from $100,000 to $250,000 over the years. The sentencing powers of the Magistrates' Courts and District Courts were recently increased. The ability to make orders for community sentences was introduced. It is also an assurance of the highest standard of leadership for the State Courts.
There are four other characteristics of the PJSC that I would like to highlight.
First, having regard to the fact that a Judge or Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court will be the PJSC, the title \"Chief District Judge\" will no longer be appropriate. The Bill, therefore, proposes to replace the title of \"Chief District Judge\" with \"Presiding Judge of the State Courts\".
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Seah Kian Peng) in the Chair]
Second, the PJSC is to be appointed by the President, on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, under a new section 8A of the amended Act.
The language of clause 5, which introduces section 8A, follows that for the appointment of the CDJ, District Judges and Magistrates under sections 9 and 10 of the Subordinate Courts Act.
Third, clause 5 empowers the PJSC to sit in any State Court.
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When he so sits, he will have the same jurisdiction, power and privileges of the State Court he sits in.
Fourth, the PJSC will continue to be able to hear cases in the High Court during his appointment as PJSC, by virtue of his appointment as a Judge or Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court.
For instance, he may preside over appeals from the State Courts, save for matters which he had previously dealt with as the PJSC.
Clauses 5 and 11(7)(b) of the Bill confirm this position.
Next, clause 6 increases the minimum statutory requirement for a legally qualified person to be a District Judge from five years to seven years.
The minimum statutory requirement for a legally qualified person to be a Magistrate will also be increased from one year to three years under clause 7.
When the Subordinate Courts Act was amended 20 years ago in 1993, Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee said before this House:
\"Dispensation of justice and application of the law do not take place in a vacuum but in the context of Singapore's social milieu. Not only is legal knowledge important but also wisdom that comes with experience in dealing with matters of the world.\"
As our legal profession matures, it is timely for these minimum statutory requirements to be reviewed.
The Subordinate Courts' practice has been to appoint Judicial Officers with longer experience than statutorily required to these positions. In fact, the average length of experience before they are appointed is about 17 years. These officers have delivered stellar results over the years.
Given the expanded functions and powers of these Judicial Officers, raising the criterion to appointment to guarantee a more experienced and mature Bench will underscore the importance of the responsibilities which these Judicial Officers carry out. This will, in turn, enhance the standing of the State Courts.
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We recognise that because of the raised criterion, there could be situations where deserving candidates may not qualify for appointment as a District Judge or Magistrate as soon as they could have under the pre-amendment criterion.
For instance, mid or second career officers who seek to join the Subordinate Courts may not satisfy the raised minimum statutory requirement, but may have such substantial work and life experience as to qualify them for consideration as Judicial Officers.
As such, clause 6(d) accords the Chief Justice a discretion to waive the requirement of seven years as a legally qualified person for appointment of a District Judge to five years, having regard to that person's qualification and experience.
Clause 7(b) creates a similar exception for Magistrates who only have between one to three years' experience.
Mr Deputy Speaker, in conclusion, I would say that the public reposes a great deal of trust and confidence in the Subordinate Courts – and, indeed, in our Judiciary generally. We trust them to apply the law impartially, uphold our laws and dispense justice fairly. The mission of the Subordinate Courts is \"to provide an effective and accessible system of justice, inspiring public trust and confidence\". These amendments reflect that mission. Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Sir, I support this Bill. This Bill brings three important changes which I believe will potentially enhance public confidence in the justice meted out by the lower courts.
First, a sitting member of the Supreme Court Bench will now be the Presiding Judge of the renamed State Courts. This change will potentially promote closer links to the Supreme Court and tighten its supervisory role over the lower Courts, as compared to the current system of having the Chief District Judge with no direct connection to the Supreme Court. Having a sitting member of the Supreme Court head the State Courts also enhances its standing as an institution which, after all, hears the vast majority of cases affecting
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Singaporeans.
The second change is that the qualifying criteria for appointment of District Judges will be raised. A person to be appointed as a District Judge will now need to have at least seven years' post-qualification experience rather than five years.
The third change is that the qualifying criteria for the appointment of Magistrates will also be raised. Instead of needing just one year's post-qualification experience, a potential Magistrate will need to have three years' experience.
The raising of the qualifying experience is desirable and, indeed, necessary as the powers of District Judges and Magistrates to make orders and sentence persons have been increased significantly over the years. At the last debate on the Subordinate Courts (Amendment) Bill in 2010, I spoke in some detail about Magistrates, and the concern about giving them powers to grant injunction orders and how some of their decisions can be unappealable under the current rules. This is worrying if we only require Magistrates to have graduated just one year before.
To this end, I am glad the Government has reviewed this matter for both District Judges and Magistrates. I believe the public will also feel more confident appearing before Judicial Officers with longer working and life experience.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to declare my interest as a practising lawyer in speaking on this Bill.
There are four key changes in this Bill: the renaming of the \"Subordinate Courts\" to the \"State Courts\"; the re-designation of the Chief District Judge as the Presiding Judge of the State Courts; third one is the amendment of the requirement for a District Judge to be a qualified person for not less than seven years, which is an increase from the present five years; and the fourth change is the amendment of the requirement for a Magistrate to be a qualified person for not less than three years, an increase from the present one year.
I support the changes to increase the qualifying criteria for the appointment of a District Judge to seven years and for the appointment of a Magistrate to
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three years.
District Judges and Magistrates play an important role in the administration of justice in our Courts. Amongst other things, they have to deal with criminal matters which involve the imposition of hefty fines and incarceration of offenders. They also have to adjudicate on civil disputes involving cases of up to $60,000 for Magistrates and $250,000 for District Judges.
In the 2012 Annual Report of the Subordinate Courts, it was reported that the Subordinate Courts handled a total of 352,763 cases of which 254,959 cases came under the Criminal Justice Division. Thus, the bulk of most litigants who have to appear in Court to pay a fine, to be sentenced to jail or to have their disputes adjudicated upon, will have to face either a Magistrate or a District Judge. It is critical that each litigant who appears in Court be given assurance that their case would be heard fairly and justice is dispensed in an impartial manner by an appropriately qualified person. It is, hence, important that we have qualified persons who are not too junior in age or in experience to be sitting in a judicial capacity to decide on the litigant's fate.
One commonly expressed concern is whether the qualified persons have sufficient exposure in life's experiences and wisdom, without which, they may not appreciate the challenges that a litigant may face. This is especially so in the Small Claims Tribunal and the Magistrates' Courts.
Mr Deputy Speaker, whilst raising the minimum statutory requirements of a District Judge and a Magistrate is a step in the right direction, I believe that more can be done. Hence, I would suggest that every new Judicial Officer be sent for an exposure stint at any Community Development Council (CDC) or a registered Volunteer Welfare Organisation (VWO) before their appointment. This is to allow each young or inexperienced Judicial Officer to better appreciate the daily challenges that an average citizen faces in life. Such a stint would allow our Magistrates and District Judges to see, firsthand, the struggles of families in dispute and how family background affects juvenile offenders. By allowing these officers to interact with applicants for social welfare, some of them may better appreciate the need sometimes for mercy whilst dispensing justice. And for officers working with a VWO involved in protecting women from violence, they may also gain better insight as to the pain suffered by victims of family violence.
I note that whilst the minimum statutory requirements to be a Magistrate and a District Judge have been increased, the minimum qualifying criteria of a
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Registrar and Deputy Registrar under clause 12 of the Subordinate Courts Act have not been increased. Deputy and Assistant Registrars also play a key role in the Courts especially when they sit in a judicial capacity to decide on applications for summary judgments, for striking out of cases, for assessment of damages and so on. May I ask the Minister to consider instituting an internal Court guideline to ensure that Deputy or Assistant Registrars are suitably qualified and experienced before they are allowed to sit in a judicial capacity.
On the renaming of the \"Subordinate Courts\" to \"State Courts\", my personal view is that it is not quite necessary. For many years, our judicial system has been well regarded and well ranked internationally, which Senior Minister of State had alluded to earlier in her speech. The many accolades referred to in the Subordinate Courts Annual Report 2012 from pages 52 to 58 say it all. Whether the Courts are renamed as \"State Courts\" or they remain as \"Subordinate Courts\", the main focus should really be on the many dedicated people running the judicial system.
The new Bill even provides for a Presiding Judge of the State Courts to be someone who is either a High Court Judge or a Judicial Commissioner. Mr Deputy Speaker, I understand that the Chief Justice had felt the renaming necessary so as to raise the standing of the Subordinate Courts. Perhaps, the Minister could clarify how the renaming of the Subordinate Courts would raise the standing of the Courts, as compared to the costs implication of having to change the name of an institution which has been around for many years.
Ms Indranee Rajah: Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank Ms Lim and Mr Lim for their support of the Bill. The Members' response has been encouraging and certainly shows the support that the Subordinate Courts have in this Chamber.
There were several questions that were raised by Mr Lim Biow Chuan. The first was a suggestion that new Judicial Officers could perhaps be attached to a VWO or CDC. That is a suggestion that certainly merits consideration and I will relay that to the Chief Justice and to the Courts, because at the end of the day, we want to be sure that those who dispense justice also have empathy and an understanding of the struggles and difficulties faced by the people who come before the Courts for their disputes and woes to be adjudicated.
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The second point that Mr Lim had raised was whether the Minister could institute internal guidelines for suitably qualified persons for the Deputy Registrar or Assistant Registrars. The Minister may not, but the Minister will relay this to the Chief Justice as Court guidelines come under the purview of the Chief Justice. But I think that I can say that the Courts do pay a great deal of attention to the appointments of persons to any judicial function, recognising the responsibility that they discharge in their functions.
The third point which Mr Lim wanted to know was whether or not the name change was really necessary and particularly so with respect to the costs of the name change. Mr Lim is correct that a name change in and of itself does very little. It is the other things which are done – the appointment of Presiding Judge of the State Courts, the raising of the qualification criteria, all the things which are part and parcel of the Subordinate Courts system, that make it what it is. So, the substance is there.
But nomenclature is also important because it is a reflection of what an entity or an organisation does. In this case, the Subordinate Courts are the Courts that come into the greatest contact with the everyday lives of people. It is the Court that has the greatest interface with the people of Singapore, adjudicating upon their disputes, and helping to resolve many of their difficulties. For that reason, it was felt that the new nomenclature would be better. \"Subordinate Courts\" implies subordinate, slightly lower and lesser in status. \"State Courts\", on the other hand, reflects that everyday interface which is a function of the State in adjudicating the disputes of the people that come before the Court. So, that is the reason for the name change.
With respect to the costs incurred, this would mainly be with regard to the replacement of the signage, name cards and other stationery. Name cards and stationery would have to be replaced in any event as stock runs out, so the costs would not be greatly significant.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Ms Indranee Rajah]. (proc text)]
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[(proc text) Bill considered in Committee. (proc text)]
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Seah Kian Peng) in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 11 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)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Bill","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BP","content":"[(proc text) Order for Second Reading read. (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, \"That the Bill be now read a Second time.\"
Sir, the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Bill gives effect to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), which was adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2006 and entered into force on 20 August 2013 for Singapore and 29 other initial ratifying States.
Singapore is a leading International Maritime Centre and is home to the world's busiest port by vessel arrival tonnage.
The Singapore Registry of Ships ranks as one of the top 10 registries in the world, accounting for 5.6% of the world's merchant fleet by tonnage, and the maritime sector contributes 7% to our GDP, employing more than 170,000 people.
We recognise that seafarers have an integral role to play in driving this key engine of the Singapore economy. Seafaring is a challenging profession due to the nature of the job and the harsh conditions at sea. Therefore, the Convention
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sets out a comprehensive framework of rights and protection at work for seafarers globally. It specifies minimum requirements for seafarer working conditions and also establishes a compliance and enforcement mechanism.
Singapore is committed to ensure safe shipping with good employment conditions for all seafarers. Thus, we were the first Asian country to ratify the MLC. Since then, MLC has become so significant for the maritime community that it is frequently referred to as the fourth pillar of the international regulatory regime for shipping alongside existing Conventions for maritime safety, marine environmental protection and vessel manning.
I would like to thank our tripartite partners for their strong support of the MLC. Work on Singapore's implementation of the MLC was guided by a Tripartite Working Group chaired by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and comprising representatives from MOM, the Singapore Maritime Officers' Union, the Singapore Organisation of Seamen, the Singapore Shipping Association and the Singapore Maritime Employers' Federation. The Tripartite Working Group met extensively, providing valuable feedback that has shaped the drafting of this Bill.
Let me now turn to the key provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Bill.
Reflecting the more comprehensive and rigorous standards introduced by the MLC, this Bill will repeal some of our existing legislation dealing with various aspects of seafarer employment, and consolidate the revised employment standards under a single piece of legislation. This will provide greater clarity for both employers and seafarers on the applicable standards under the MLC, and make clear how Singapore is meeting our international obligations.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will administer the regulatory requirements under the Bill.
Let me now expand on the key provisions of the Bill.
Parts I and II of the Bill set out definitions and cover the application of the Bill. The Bill will apply to all Singapore-registered ships that are ordinarily engaged in commercial activities and some 54,000 seafarers that serve on these ships, as well as to all foreign ships when they call in Singapore. In line with the scope of the MLC, this Bill will not apply to ships that are engaged in fishing
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activities, of traditional build, such as dhows or junks, or navigate exclusively within our Port Limits. It will also not apply to warships and naval auxiliary vessels.
Parts III and IV of the Bill set out minimum requirements and conditions for seafarers' employment. These include a minimum age for employment, a requirement for pre-employment certification of medical fitness, and minimum standards to be met by seafarer recruitment and placement services operating in Singapore. Employment conditions, such as minimum hours of rest, payment of wages, annual leave and provision for the repatriation of seafarers, are also stipulated.
Parts V, VI and VII of the Bill set out requirements for working conditions on board ships. These include the proper provision of food and water, medical care and other measures to ensure the health and safety of seafarers. The provisions here also set out the liabilities of shipowners in the event of sickness and injury sustained by seafarers in the service of the ship. The Bill will also allow MPA to issue or approve relevant codes of practice that will serve as practical guidance on measures that should be taken to safeguard the safety and health of seafarers on board ships. The Bill will further empower MPA to investigate occupational accidents, injuries or diseases arising from service on board a ship.
Part IX of the Bill requires shipowners to implement procedures to allow seafarers to lodge complaints regarding breaches of employment conditions. Such procedures must include MPA as an avenue for lodging complaints. This provides a channel for seafarers to give feedback on working and living conditions, and thus help ensure compliance with the MLC.
Finally, I will describe briefly the other provisions in the Bill, which are more administrative and operational in nature.
Parts VIII and X of the Bill create an enforcement regime comprising the certification and inspection of Singapore-registered ships, and provide powers for MPA officers to inspect foreign ships that call at our port. MPA will thus be empowered to enforce MLC requirements across the 140,000 vessel calls that we typically see at our port each year. Such an enforcement regime is required for all MLC signatory states, and enables Singapore to play our rightful role in ensuring that the MLC is observed consistently and equitably.
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Part XI of the Bill includes related amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act to repeal or dis-apply sections that are superseded by this Bill. It also includes amendments to the Employment Act and Work Injury Compensation Act to streamline the interaction between the Bill and existing employment legislation.
In conclusion, the MLC is a major maritime convention that safeguards the welfare of seafarers, who form the backbone of the maritime industry. As a responsible maritime nation, Singapore demonstrated our commitment to enhancing the well-being of seafarers through our ratification of the MLC. This Bill will fulfil our international obligations under the MLC and establish a new regulatory regime for the working and living conditions of seafarers on board Singapore-registered ships, and foreign ships calling on Singapore. Sir, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Mary Liew (Nominated Member): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the ILO's Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 is a Seafarers' Bill of Rights that aims to achieve decent work for more than 1.2 million seafarers around the world by providing employment and social protection.
The MLC covers almost every aspect of work and life on board ships. It heartens me that Singapore is the first Asian country to ratify the MLC on 14 June 2011. Singapore contributed significantly towards the ratification requirements for the convention to come into force on 20 August 2013.
In fact, we were pleasantly surprised and delighted that ILO chose Singapore as the launching pad for the implementation of the MLC and it was organised within a short span of time onboard Neptune Orient Lines' \"APL Yangshan\".
There were live feeds of the interviews being broadcast all over the world. The efforts, collaboration and hard work put in by our tripartite partners, namely, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Singapore Shipping Association, Singapore Maritime Officers' Union and Singapore Organisation of Seamen were historical in showcasing to the world that with pervasive tripartism, anything is possible.
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Sir, to ensure that Singapore would be ready for the implementation of the MLC, I commend the efforts and hard work put in by the Ministries of Manpower and Transport and, especially, the MPA. The MPA initiated the Tripartite Working Group where a total of more than 20 official meetings, as well as countless smaller scale discussions and deliberations with various stakeholders took place over the last seven years.
It is heartening to know that the very nature of pervasive tripartism was demonstrated through this process where all tripartite partners were actively involved in the formation of the national determinants for compliance with the MLC that led to the current legislation of this Bill.
Seafarers can now look forward to fair terms of employment, decent living and working conditions onboard ships. This will include minimum standards for social protection encompassing medical care, health protection, a formalised structure for complaints and welfare.
Being the first Asian country to ratify this convention also sends a strong signal to the world. Singapore, being one of the world's busiest ports of call, is stringent in our requirements to ensure decent living for all seafarers onboard vessels which fly the Singapore flag. This is the embodiment of Singapore's core values, where we leave no worker behind as the nation progresses.
I would like to strongly encourage this spirit of tripartism to prevail as our Tripartite Working Group partners continue to work on the regulations and enforcement policies. Having a convention on paper is not good enough. The dangers that seafarers face are very real when they are away from home for months, sailing the vast oceans, braving the ever-changing climatic conditions, and words on paper, if they are not put into action, Sir, will do nothing to help them.
We cannot condone issues, such as non-payment of wages, piracy, abuse, social dumping and failure of repatriation in Singapore. We aspire to be an International Maritime Centre which we are proud to call our own. Implementation, in itself, is going to be a huge challenge and I hope that MPA can give substantial focus and scrutiny into how we address these challenges:
Firstly, with the increased number of vessels registering in Singapore and calling at our ports, are the current manpower levels in MPA sufficient to cope with the added responsibilities of quality inspection on the working conditions
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on board ships for compliance?
Secondly, will there be adequate training resources to ensure that the MPA's Flag State and Port State Control Officers are equipped with the additional relevant competencies to conduct these inspections?
Thirdly, how will the authorities ensure compliance of the Act by all ship owners and ship managers?
Lastly, will MPA's Port State Control Officers ensure a \"no more favourable treatment\" by detaining foreign ships that do not comply with the MLC, so that there is a level-playing field for our Singapore shipping owners and employers who have put in significant resources and effort to ensure compliance?
This journey towards implementing the MLC has made the various stakeholders more aware of the working and living conditions on board ships and, thus, more accountable. With this understanding, shipowners are now working on making improvements. Seafarers are also more appreciative of their employers' efforts in ensuring the provision of a conducive work environment.
With the coming into force of the MLC, and as a unionist with the SMOU, I hope to see less occurrences of seafarers suffering from unpaid wages and seafarers who are abandoned. To put it into perspective, since the year 1993, SMOU has intervened in more than 447 cases, helping seafarers from different nationalities to recover some US$15 million of unpaid wages. I hope that the enforcement of the MLC will serve as a deterrent against errant employers.
Singapore is a responsible maritime nation and we have the structure, as well as capable manpower resource, in place. More work has to be done by all relevant stakeholders in the coming months, before the MLC Act enters into force on 1 April 2014.
I am confident that the MLC Act will not only protect seafarers' rights, but in the long run benefit all responsible shipowners, thus, keeping the shipping industry vibrant and attractive. Sir, I support the Bill.
Sir, I would also like to add that, as you can see, I look somewhat incomplete this evening because my fellow Nominated Member of Parliament and bipartite partner, Mr Teo Siong Seng, has to leave for an overseas meeting. And he has asked me to convey to this House that he and SSA are ardently
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supporting this Bill. And I thank you for this.
Mr Deputy Speaker: From one unionist to another, Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Nee Soon): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Merchant Shipping Bill where Singapore will adopt and give effect to the International Labour Organization (ILO)'s Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
Many of you may not be familiar with the impact of this Bill and its role in giving effect to the ILO's Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. In fact, it is one of the few International Conventions we have ratified in recent years and is a milestone for labour, thereby giving efficacy to a piece of international labour law.
NTUC and the Labour Movement have recently highlighted our emphasis on the 4Ps. They are Protection, Progression, Placement and Privileges. Protection in terms of advocacy and workplace representation; Progression in terms of ensuring workers stay future-ready and future-proof; Placement through facilitating employment and employability through our programmes and career services; and Privileges for the benefit of our members.
With this Bill, we will strengthen the Protection of our seafarers, in terms of employment, health, working and living conditions and other items. The alignment to international labour conventions will also enhance Singapore's reputation as a major global port of call, improve manpower recruitment and sharpen our competitive edge in maritime services. I would like to commend the tripartite partners, the Employers, namely, the Singapore Shipping Association, MOT, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and our unions, Singapore Organisation of Seaman and Singapore Maritime Officers' Union, for their untiring efforts in endorsing this Convention and bringing this Bill to fruition.
Just as the Employment Act amendments have led to a sea change effect in extending the scope of coverage for PMEs, the introduction of this Bill would be instrumental in protecting seafarers in the recovery of wages, overtime and leave benefits.
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With the global shortage of seafarers, we need to take concrete steps to ensure their welfare and attract Singaporeans to what is deemed to be a tough and risky job. The Bill will also provide our regulator, MPA, the legal authority to enforce any potential infringements by foreign-flagged ships which have made Singapore their port of call.
The Merchant Shipping Bill is a major boost and recognition of the rights of seafarers in Singapore. For the seafarers, the challenges they face at work are multi-faceted. This includes being exposed to the elements, piracy, being constantly away from home and having only limited time with the family. With this Bill, we have set out an equitable framework and system of accountability with the ship-owners that will give due credence to the tough working conditions that our seafarers face at sea. In due course, we should continually review the current penalties for contravention to ensure greater deterrence against violation.
Not only does this Bill provide workplace protection for our seafarers, it also seeks to improve the quality of life for seafarers like any other employee. This includes being entitled to full annual leave without having them sacrifice because of their nature of work which runs over public holidays as well as temporary shore leave and training. For public holidays, seafarers should be similarly compensated with replacement off-in-lieu or payment in lieu. Seafarers, too, would also need their work-life balance just like any employees on land and should not be assumed to be used to an irregular lifestyle. As for regulating the hours of rest for seafarers, a pragmatic approach is taken in relation to the maritime working environment. The division of work and rest hours will have to follow stipulations under the law, with the rest hours properly logged in records. The ship master will have to submit these records of rest to the seafarers at the end of each month. I am heartened to note that these aspects of fair working hours will be captured in the Merchant Shipping Bill which would put seafarers on par with any other employees on land.
Regulating the shipping requirements and environment forms another key thrust in the Merchant Shipping Bill. It is important to provide a safe working environment for seafarers and ensure that food, medical access and accommodation are up to standard with international requirements.
In terms of repatriation and termination of contract for seafarers, the Merchant Shipping Bill provides greater clarity in terms of the criteria and conditions to be met. For example, young sailors can be repatriated if found unfit for life at sea once they have served on a ship for at least four months. All repatriation cases are stated to be at the employers' expense and the seafarer
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can decide on the location where he is to be repatriated. The Bill will, thus, enforce responsible behaviour on the part of employers and ship-owners.
Similarly, on wages, the Bill has made important provisions that will safeguard the interests of seafarers when unforeseen situations or factors lead to premature termination of contract. For example, this could happen in the case of a shipwreck or loss of ship. The wages of the seafarers are still payable by binding employment agreements. Arrears or non-payment of wages have been a perennial issue faced by seafarers over the years. For example, in early 2013, SMOU had assisted the crew of Aiden Marine to recover unpaid wages of $20,000 when the employer AZ Marine prematurely terminated the crew's contracts. The Bill will help to expedite and resolve similar infringements in the future and, hopefully, reduce the incidence of such cases.
Beyond the legal framework, an important consideration for the seafaring profession would be looking at how best we can enhance the career paths of seafarers and attract more professionals to view it as a viable career. Career progression could be a long-drawn process. For example, a cadet engineer with a diploma will take about eight years to become a chief engineer, while a junior deck officer will take 10 years to become a ship captain. I know of a resident of mine who shared with me that he is keen to enter the shipping industry. He is in his early thirties and has a degree qualification from one of our local universities. Would there be career opportunities for Singaporeans like him to enter into this industry but hopefully on a faster track? To keep pace with the changing employment landscape and needs of the new generation of workers, the relevant authorities can study how to expedite the career tracks for navigation and engineering, bearing in mind the need for competency, safety, skills and experience.
NTUC‘s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), Singapore Maritime Officers' Union, Workforce Development Agency and Singapore Shipping Association started the Tripartite Nautical Training Award (TNTA) in 2009 that aims to attract and train more Singaporeans to join the maritime industry which is one of the local essential services sectors. The initiative started with a pilot of placing and training 80 locals with \"N\" levels and above qualifications as Certificate of Competency Class 3 cadets over 31 months. To date, the initiative has put 135 locals through the training, with a retention rate of about 75%. Two of the trainees – Mr Afham Hatim Bin Kamarudini and Mr Ahmad Helmi Bin Kamarudin have just graduated from the 31-month programme and they are now full-fledged Class 3 cadets with a monthly salary of $3,000. We have another five more cadets going for certification this year in April. I hope we can do more to inject fresh blood into this growth sector and develop career tracks
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to attract more Singaporeans to be placed in this sector at all levels of the hierarchy.
In conclusion, I would like to applaud the introduction of the Merchant Shipping Bill. These efforts to better protect our seafarers and their families and facilitate their progression will ensure the industry is well placed for success. I support the Bill.
Mr R Dhinakaran (Nominated Member): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill that will have a significant impact on those who work in our maritime sector.
The seafarers' employment agreement is an important document that will help protect the welfare and interests of those employed in the industry. I fully agree with clause 14 of the Bill that the seafarer must be familiarised with the agreement, understand it fully and even be allowed to seek advice on it before signing the same. In order to facilitate this to ensure that the seafarer has been given sufficient time to do all of these, especially if the seafarer's native language is not English or if he does not understand English well, then it is important that we mandate through this Bill that the seafarer be given at least a week to study the agreement and seek advice before he is required to sign on it. I feel this is important as it ensures that the seafarer is not forced to sign the agreement before he is given ample time to understand it.
While the Bill helps protect the interests of seafarers, it must also ensure that the employers, too, must be protected. Firstly, any seafarer found furnishing his employer with fake, inaccurate or misleading information or documentation prior to or during the signing of the employment agreement should also be found to contravene this Act and be liable to conviction. Since Singapore's maritime industry is world-class and world-renowned, it is important to protect the integrity in all parts of the sector, including its manpower force. We cannot compromise on the quality of the workforce in the maritime sector, and, therefore, it is important to have a strong deterrent to make sure that the seafarer hired is suitably qualified.
Rest for the seafarer is another area where we cannot compromise as this affects the welfare of the seafarer and could also affect the quality of his work. So, while the Bill specifies that no person shall cause or permit payment to be made in lieu of hours of rest, it should also stipulate that no person shall receive
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payment in lieu of hours of rest.
This rest period should also extend to the seafarer when he is unwell. It should be mandated that every vessel has a doctor on board, the violation of which will result in a heavy penalty. This will allow a seafarer who is unwell to be attended to urgently and not wait until they reach a port. If the doctor feels that the seafarer should be allowed medical leave of rest to recover, then the employer should be mandated to approve and ensure that the seafarer gets that prescribed rest. Any contravention of both of these rules should then be liable to conviction with a strong penalty as a deterrent.
Some of the medical attention needed by seafarers may arise out of work accidents. Therefore, employers will need to pay great attention to safety standards on board ships and help ensure that these are adhered to.
Hence, employers should be mandated to send all seafarers on their payroll, especially new ones, for safety and training courses. I would like to urge the MPA to consider that seafarers be allowed employment only upon satisfactory completion of the mandated health and safety courses as is currently done in the construction industry. This will help ensure that seafarers entering the industry already go in with the requisite knowledge and skills on safety standards. MPA may also consider ensuring that all maritime companies mandate that their seafarers spend some pre-assigned hours per year on safety courses. This will help build the safety capabilities in their companies while updating the knowledge of the seafarer and keeping it relevant. In fact, I would even say that it should be mandated that each vessel have a safety officer on board whose main duty is to oversee all safety standards on board and to take measures to promote them and ensure that they are adhered to.
In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I applaud the MPA for adopting the Maritime Labour Convention and using it as a guide to help elevate our maritime sector to a higher level. With steps taken to ensure that the welfare of our seafarers is taken care of, including wages, fair employment practices and health and safety standards, we will help ensure that our maritime sector truly becomes world-class. With that, I support the Bill, Sir.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Merchant Shipping Maritime Labour Convention.
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The proposed Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Bill aims to give effect to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, which embodies all up-to-date standards of existing international maritime labour Conventions and Recommendations, as well as the fundamental principles found in other international labour Conventions.
As an important member of the international shipping and maritime community, it is essential that we, Singapore, incorporate these requirements into our domestic law and align ourselves with international standards on maritime labour regulations.
I support the enactment of this Bill because maritime labour regulations are an issue that is very much related to human trafficking or the ensuring of good work conditions on board ships. Therefore, we must implement tough measures and robust mechanisms to ensure that such crimes do not happen on our watch.
As a major trading point in the region, our ports and the surrounding waters are filled with Singapore-registered ships and foreign-registered ships that carry thousands of seafarers. With the enactment of this Bill, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), as our national maritime flag administration, will be authorised to board and inspect the working and living conditions of seafarers onboard these ships calling at our ports.
In doing so, the MPA can ensure that shipowners and operators comply with the minimum requirements relating to working conditions and workplace health and safety for seafarers, and be able to judiciously address and deal with issues of forced or compulsory labour that might be occurring onboard ships calling at our ports.
Further, the Bill clearly delineates minimum requirements or standards for working conditions and employment of seafarers onboard these ships. An example of such conditions include requirements relating to their employment agreement (clause 14), hours of rest for seafarers working on board ships (clause 16), the manner and timing in which wages shall be paid (clause 20), and the entitlement to have paid annual leave (clause 22). The inclusion of such requirements into our law would increase the working conditions onboard ships as shipowners are now conferred with an explicit obligation to ensure that these conditions are provided for all seafarers that they employ. Where in the past shipowners were allowed free rein over determining the working conditions implemented onboard their ships, the enactment of this Bill will
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ensure that errant shipowners will no longer be able to mistreat seafarers employed on their ship without facing consequences. Furthermore, shipowners who resort to forced or compulsory labour onboard their ships can now be prosecuted and dealt with severely and strictly.
Thus, with the inclusion of these broad-based powers of boarding and investigation for the MPA and the imposition of minimum requirements for working conditions for seafarers onboard ships, Singapore's ability to combat forced labour happening through Singapore waters will be significantly enhanced.
It is my belief, therefore, that this Bill will complement the dedicated legislation that will criminalise the trafficking of persons and minors in and through Singapore for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced incarceration, slave labour and so on.
While it is commendable that the MPA is now entrusted with the power to board and inspect ships suspected of being involved in compulsory or forced labour, the effectiveness of such powers is contingent on the authorities being able to obtain reliable and credible intelligence prior to the arrival of these ships into our coastal waters and at our ports.
Therefore, the MPA must also work closely with its Home Team partners like the Police Force and Coast Guard, other ports in the region, as well as regional and international organisations, to build up extensive intelligence networks to obtain reliable information and reports on potential cases of forced or slave labour in the region. Using the intelligence gathered, the MPA will be able to mount focused operations to investigate and deal with suspected cases of forced or slave labour onboard ships calling at our ports.
Further to that, with the establishment of the INTERPOL Global Complex in Singapore, local authorities can leverage and tap on their far-reaching intelligence network, and work closely with INTERPOL to combat transnational and syndicated crimes that operate in or around our waters.
Ultimately, we must remain vigilant and employ every weapon available in our arsenal in the fight against trafficking syndicates and slave labour networks and that includes such networks onboard ships. For that reason, Sir, I support this Bill.
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Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Deputy Speaker, let me first thank the Members who have spoken in support of the Bill. They include our Labour Members who have voiced their support. They also include employers like Mr Dhinakaran who gave unequivocal support to this Bill. Mr Teo Siong Seng is not able to join us for the debate but he has, very interestingly, conveyed his support through a unionist. I think this can happen only in Singapore and not in many other places in the world.
As many Members have highlighted, the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) is a major international instrument that will substantially improve the well-being of seafarers around the world. I think Ms Mary Liew shared with us that number is 1.2 million. We, therefore want, as Mr Christopher de Souza has said, to align our seafarer employment laws with the international standards enshrined in the MLC. It is the right thing to do.
Ms Mary Liew and Mr Patrick Tay have asked about our implementation of the MLC. Let me assure the House that the Government has and will continue to work closely with the maritime industry and seafarer unions to ensure the full and fair implementation of the MLC.
We agree with Ms Liew that it is important to ensure a level playing field for the shipping community in Singapore. We will, indeed, be adopting the approach of \"no more favourable treatment\" when enforcing the MLC on applicable Singapore-registered and foreign ships ‘” in other words, Singapore-registered ships and foreign ships calling at our port will be treated exactly the same way. This is a fundamental principle that underpins the international shipping industry and is, therefore, a key tenet of the MLC.
I would further like to assure Ms Liew that MPA has steadily built up its capabilities to administer the MLC. For example, MPA has increased its pool of marine surveyors and conducted extensive training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to enforce the MLC. MPA has also invested in information technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its ship inspections.
Mr Dhinakaran shared his concerns on the need to protect the interests of the seafarers as well as their employers. These key concerns have been addressed in the Bill. For example, the provision of fraudulent documents for the seafarer employment agreement is an offence under the Bill. We have taken a practical approach balancing the needs of different parties. For example,
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instead of requiring a doctor to be onboard every ship, ships are required to carry seafarers who are trained in medical first-aid to care for unwell seafarers.
Mr Dhinakaran had also asked what were the measures in place to ensure safety training and that seafarers were equipped in times of emergency. Now, under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping, seafarers are already required to receive familiarisation training before being assigned to shipboard duties. This familiarisation training includes emergency evacuation procedures. Depending on the scope of their duties, seafarers are also required to be trained in occupational safety.
Under the International Safety Management Code for Ships, shipping companies have to establish procedures for identifying any training in support of their safety management systems. Seafarers would have to follow such procedures for safety training. It is not just training the seafarers but also putting the onus on the shipping companies to ensure that there are procedures in place and they need to carry out the drills. In today's context, where some parts of the sea lanes are under constant threat, in fact, I think shipping companies and seafarers take this type of training very seriously and they will go through their drills.
Mr Patrick Tay pointed to the need to continue growing a core of local seafarers to support our maritime industry, I could not agree with him more. Members have recognised that by strengthening the legal framework for seafarer employment, this Bill will complement the efforts that MPA and its tripartite partners have put in to attract more Singaporeans to take up seafaring careers. We heard from Mr Tay the efforts of the e2i in partnership with MPA as well as with the Singapore Shipping Association, the training courses that have been launched and how individuals have been impacted by these courses and embarked on meaningful and well-paying careers. Besides safeguarding the well-being of seafarers, MPA will also continue working with our tripartite partners to enhance the training and career progression for seafarers, especially to raise the awareness of Singaporeans of the attractive career opportunities in this area.
Sir, in conclusion, I would like to recognise the strong tripartite partnership which includes the shipping community and the unions who have worked with the MPA in preparation for compliance with the new regulatory regime under the MLC and, as with any new set of maritime regulations, MPA will actively gather feedback and regularly review our implementation of the MLC. The passing of this Bill is an important milestone for Maritime Singapore and demonstrates our steadfast commitment to enhancing the well-being of
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seafarers. I am confident that with the continued strong support of our tripartite partners, we will be able to effectively implement our international obligations under the MLC. Sir, I beg to move.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Any clarifications for the Senior Minister of State? No.
[(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)]
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Seah Kian Peng) in the Chair]
The Chairman: The citation year \"2013\" will be changed to \"2014\", as indicated in the Order Paper Supplement.
[(proc text) Clauses 1 to 86 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The First to Second 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":"Subscription to International Bank for Reconstruction and Development","subTitle":"Motion","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam): Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, \"That this Parliament, in accordance with section 7(3) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the subscription of Singapore to
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the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development be increased to a sum not exceeding Six Hundred and Seventy-Two Million United States dollars (US$672 million).\"
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Board of Governors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or IBRD, has adopted in March 2011, resolutions to increase the capital of the IBRD by US$86.2 billion. The IBRD is the main institution of the World Bank Group that lends to developing countries. The IBRD intends to use the capital to promote growth and sustainable development amongst its middle income and credit-worthy poorer member countries. It does this, for example, by supporting investments in infrastructure in those countries.
At present, Singapore's subscription to the capital of the IBRD totals US$38.6 million, of which we have paid US$3.86 million as paid-in capital. We propose to increase Singapore's capital subscription by US$633.2 million, bringing our total subscription to close to US$672 million. However, out of the total increase, we will be paying only 6% or US$38 million as paid-in capital.
This is our first increase in capital subscription to the IBRD since 1966. It will mean an increase in our voting power in the IBRD from 0.05% to 0.25%.
Let me explain why Singapore has to play its part in the global effort to supplement the World Bank's resources. Given our role as a major financial centre and the importance of a healthy global economy to our economic prospects, we should participate in this global effort. Our economic ties are also growing with developing countries in Asia and beyond. For example, Singapore-based companies stand to benefit from the World Bank's extensive network and resources through partnership projects in urban development within Asia and elsewhere.
In subscribing to the IBRD's capital increase, Singapore would also be playing its role in the region's contributions to the IBRD – the Southeast Asian region's contributions. Before this new subscription, Singapore is ranked eighth amongst ASEAN in terms of contribution, in fact, behind Brunei, Myanmar and Vietnam. With our increase, Singapore will be the fifth largest shareholder amongst the ASEAN countries, behind Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.
As I mentioned earlier, as part of our increased subscription, we will be paying 6%, or US$38 million, as paid-in capital. This amount will be met from
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the Government Budget, and was included in the estimated operating expenditures presented to Parliament as part of Budget 2013.
The remaining 94%, known as callable capital, will not be drawn by the IBRD except in extreme circumstances, when it cannot meet its obligations on borrowings or guarantees. To date, the IBRD has never had to call on the callable capital in its history. It is an AAA-rated institution with a sound balance sheet for over 50 years. Nevertheless, the full increase in Singapore's subscription to IBRD's capital will be charged to the Consolidated Fund, as the callable capital represents an increase in the Government's financial liabilities. Our subscriptions to the IBRD are, hence, unlike MAS' subscriptions to the IMF's capital, or what is called the \"IMF quota subscriptions\", or its loans to the IMF, which are neither expenditures nor liabilities, but assets that remain part of our Official Foreign Reserves.
With this new subscription to IBRD capital, Singapore's total subscription would be in excess of the current US$40 million cap prescribed in section 7(3) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act. Parliament is, therefore, requested to approve that the subscription of Singapore to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development be increased to a sum not exceeding US$672 million, thereby authorising the Government to take up the additional subscription proposed. Singapore's total paid-in capital will amount to US$41.86 million. That includes the paid-in capital that we had previously put in. Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam, you would like to speak? Proceed.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance is seeking Parliament's approval to increase Singapore's membership subscription to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) from the current US$40 million to US$672 million.
The IBRD, commonly referred to as the World Bank, is an important international development institution that focuses on uplifting poor and vulnerable communities in the developing world. It aims to promote global collective action on issues like health, trade, agriculture and climate change,
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strengthening governance and anti-corruption efforts, and prepare for crises. Singapore has been a member of the World Bank since 1966.
We had, in the past, benefited from World Bank loans for infrastructure development projects. Between 1963 and 1975, Singapore received 14 loans from the World Bank for port expansion, sewage, power, telecoms, education and environmental management. These included US$15 million for the Port of Singapore Authority and another US$15 million for Pasir Panjang Power Station.
Now that we are a developed economy, I think it is right for us to contribute back to the development of other countries by supporting the work of the World Bank. As a responsible member of the international community, we should play our part to help alleviate poverty in this world.
Our current subscription limit is US$40 million. This limit has not changed since 1966 when we were much poorer and smaller. Considering our economy has grown a lot since then, our current subscription appears relatively low. We have one of the lowest subscriptions among the 188 member countries in the World Bank.
Having said that, the quantum of the proposed increase in our subscription limit is not small. It is going up from US$40 million to US$672 million, an increase of almost 17 times. Can I ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the Government arrived at this quantum? I understand that voting power at the World Bank is allocated based on the capital stock held by each member. Is the increase in our subscription intended to strengthen our voting power or increase our influence at the Bank? If so, can the Deputy Prime Minister explain what are the tangible benefits that this translates to for Singaporeans? Does it make much of a difference if we raised our vote share from the current 0.05% to 0.25%, and is it worth the full US$672 million? What will be the frequency of the payments of our subscriptions and under what extreme circumstances that the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned will Singapore have to make a full subscription? Will we be obliged to contribute the full subscription whenever the Bank calls for it?
Sir, I support Singapore playing a bigger role in international organisations like the World Bank. However, I would like more clarity on why our subscription needs to be increased by such a large amount and how Singaporeans will benefit from this change.
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Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: Mr Gerald Giam has asked valid questions. Perhaps, the best way I can answer them is to state in a different way what I mentioned in my speech. There are essentially two propositions which shape our commitments to organisations like the World Bank. It is a key international organisation.
First, having strong and effective multilateral institutions is in Singapore's interests. We are small, we are dependent on the rest of the world. We are dependent on a stable and growing world for our people's livelihoods. So, we have a vested interest in strong multilateral institutions. At our current stage of development, quite different from 1966 or even different from 10 or 15 years ago, and given our growing links with developing Asia and the developing world at large, we have to play a responsible role in the multilateral institutions. We cannot be a free rider. We cannot be a free rider expecting to reap the benefits, directly or indirectly, without paying our membership fees. So, that is a basic proposition.
But the second proposition is equally important, which is, that we should only commit to what we can afford and in proportion to our size and role in the global economy. That is something which we study very carefully: how does it fit within our overall budgetary commitments, each year and over the long term? Secondly, how do we compare with other countries: our neighbours, those in the region, as well as those further afield? We should commit in proportion to our size and role in the global economy, and not beyond what we can afford. That is what instructs our calculation of how much we should contribute.
How much have we contributed? The amount that we are contributing will give us a share in the World Bank's capital of about 0.24%, slightly lower than the voting share but that is technicality. So, 0.24%. In fact, that is still significantly lower than our share of the global economy in GDP, for instance. Our share in global GDP is about 0.4% and our share in global trade is significantly more than that. So, our share in the World Bank, an institution responsible for supporting sustainable growth in the developing world, is, in fact, much lower than our share in global GDP and in global trade or in global cross-border investments. So, we are not over-committing.
The reason why we are still below our share, as dictated by GDP or trade or cross-border investments, is because we were a developing country. Our starting point was one of a very small contribution. And we are still not an
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advanced economy. So, we are increasing our share, increasing our contributions, but we are doing it in the right proportion. We are not over-committing. Playing our responsible role, making a significant increase, but we are not over-committing. I am satisfied with that.
The amount looks large because we have included the callable capital. In the nature of our contributions to these organisations, the callable capital is significant but it has never been called. In the history of IBRD, it has never been called because the purpose of callable capital is merely to allow the IBRD to issue bonds to finance its operations, and to maintain its AAA rating. The true budgetary cost is what we will pay in, that is, the paid-in capital. And that is the US$38 million increase.
That is not an annual figure. That is US$38 million that I expect to last for quite a while because the IBRD only raises capital once every 10 to 20 years. The last time it raised capital before this round – this was the 2011 round – and the last time before that was 1988. So, even conservatively, let us, say, 10 years, that is US$38 million, or about S$50 million, over 10 years, which is about S$5 million a year. So, it is S$5 million a year which, I think, is not an inordinate amount to contribute to the World Bank, an institution whose effectiveness we have a clear and vested interest in sustaining.
On the secondary question, the Member asked about whether we are obliged to cough up callable capital when asked, this is an interesting question because there has been no precedent for it. They have never called on the callable capital. There has been no precedent for it and, in fact, no one expects it to ever become necessary.
In theory, a country can pull out of its membership if it could not meet its obligations but I think that is the last thing we will want to do because our credibility in the world is extremely important, it is an extremely important asset. The main point I am making though is that you do not expect the callable capital to be called; that is not the way the IBRD is run. The whole purpose of callable capital is for it to maintain its AAA rating. The budgetary cost for us is the paid-in capital. That is something which was reflected in this fiscal year's budgetary estimates and that is the true charge on us. As I mentioned, it really amounts to – when you look at it amortised over 10 years – about S$5 million a year, which is not an inordinate sum.
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Mr Deputy Speaker: Any other clarifications for the Deputy Prime Minister?
[(proc text) Hon Members indicated none. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That this Parliament, in accordance with section 7(3) of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (Chapter 27 of the 2012 Revised Edition), resolves that the subscription of Singapore to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development be increased to a sum not exceeding Six Hundred and Seventy-Two Million United States dollars (US$672 million).\" – [Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam]. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjournment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resolved, \"That, at its rising today, Parliament do stand adjourned to a date to be fixed.\" – [Dr Ng Eng Hen]. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Educating our Young for 21st Century","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"The Leader of the House (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\"
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Moulmein-Kallang): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Education is a subject of immense interest to many Singaporeans.
In a meritocracy, it is an important tool for social mobility. Education is also the passport by which every child has a shot at maximising his potential. Education shapes our society-to-be. And it usually even takes the biggest blame whenever our young do not meet our expectations. It is no wonder that education occupies one of the top three spots in the allocation of our national
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budget.
Someone once said that \"we can only connect the dots that we collect\"; these dots in life come in the form of inputs, observations and experiences one encounters. For today's Motion of \"Educating our Young for the 21st Century\", I wish to first acknowledge the persons from whom I have collected many important \"dots\": (a) the activists and women Members from the PAP Women's Wing, especially Dr Intan; (b) the MOE professionals and the Our Singapore Conversation (OSC) participants; and (c) other friends, young and old, who share a keen interest in educating our young for the future.
As I study the many developments in the education scene, I observe a series of dots that cluster around several themes. Let me first summarise these clusters of dots according to, first, the Future; and then, the Current. I would then conclude with a Proposal for the Minister to consider.
The Future. When we think about educating our young for the future, we cannot ignore how Technology and, especially the Internet, have opened up learning to the point where anyone can learn anything from anyone else at any time. Learners find at their disposal content that range from repositories, portals, open-courseware, free ware, e-books to online classes. Prof Clayton Christensen, author of \"Disrupting Class\" and one of the world's foremost experts on innovation and growth, insists that \"technology is disrupting how people used to learn and teach\".
And when traditional brick-and-mortar schools do not reinvent themselves, the rise and success of Online Academies may one day render them irrelevant. For instance, Khan Academy is a non-profit educational website that boasts an outreach of 10 million students per month and has delivered more than 200 million lessons. It has a personalised learning engine to help learners track their learning and chart their pathways. It boasts of a library of online learning videos of more than 4,500. Even Microsoft chief, Bill Gates, was reported to have said that he had used Khan Academy with his own kids. Mind you, there are other online academies like Khan Academy which may or may not be even more successful.
Indeed, in a country as highly wired as Singapore, students, the young and old will find that they can learn anything, anywhere, any time. The rise of online education could effectively render weak teachers redundant, while making great educators more widely accessible, levelling the playing field for learners across the world. But we know that just because our young have access to their
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modern mobile devices, and use them for chats and all, does not mean that these devices are used for learning. There is still an important place for educators, if they keep up with the times.
Sir, the Traditional Model of the Educator being the teacher and chief dispenser of knowledge – a mental model in which students are often one or many steps behind their teachers – is a model that will not stick in the digital age.
Teachers who express the desire to only teach will have to reflect on what that really means and how they might be even more relevant to teaching in the digital age.
Educators of the Future can take on one or more of the following four roles:
(a) As Content Curators – adding value by sifting and sorting through numerous repositories of content that are created every hour in cyberspace. They could suggest and guide their students in accessing those that are most relevant and most reliable.
(b) Educators of the Future can be Lesson Designers – designing lessons using blended pedagogy that combines good quality online lectures with their own personal facilitation. Educators of the Future can also be Online Course Developers and Deliverers – learning how to teach online, producing and delivering high-quality online courses.
(c) But they can also be Life Coaches – guiding the young who, in spite of their impressive digital assets, may still need help in honing their character and building their values; learning what Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi has taught us – that knowledge without character, freedom without responsibility, and science without humanity are the deadly sins of the human soul.
The days of repeating lecture notes and power-points of yester-years are numbered.
Online academies, educators as content curators, designers, online learning developers and deliverers and life coaches! To be future-ready, we have to reckon with these developments and these future roles of educators. We need to rethink and even reform how we identify, select and develop skill
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sets of school leaders and educators for schools of the future.
About The Current. Sir, more than 20,000 educators, members of the public, students and families, participated in the Our Singapore Conversation (OSC). It was led by the Minister himself. They were asked what they would like to see in Singapore schools in 2030. Their inputs can be clustered into several key focus areas. They are to do with:
(a) concern over academic stress, especially caused by high-stakes exams;
(b) call for a broadened definition of success in schools;
(c) call for more inclusive schools so that children of all backgrounds can grow up together; and a more level playing field so that at-risk children can start school from a more equal footing; and
(d) stronger emphasis on character and values-driven education and future-ready skills.
The feedback from the ground did not go unheard. They, in fact, validated, I notice, the annual work plan assumptions of MOE of recent years. The inputs supported and strengthened the Education Minister's resolve to promote an even more student-centred and values-driven education system. Several measures were already introduced under the Minister's leadership.
(a) For example, to reduce the competitiveness of high-stakes exams, such as PSLE, banding instead of T-scores will be introduced. School rankings removed; so is public comparison of PSLE scores.
(b) And to ensure schools are more inclusive, the Minister has ensured that Primary 1 places are reserved to ensure that those without the alumni network are able to get into popular schools.
(c) To provide alternates to academic-based entries to Secondary schools, the Direct School Admissions (DSA) criteria were broadened to include special qualities, such as character, resilience, drive and leadership, expanding the criteria beyond sporting, artistic talents and academics, of course.
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(d) There is now greater flexibility for Normal stream students to take higher-level subjects according to their strengths.
(e) The Citizenship and Character Education syllabi were reviewed and recently reintroduced and launched.
(f) MOE has also started to directly run several kindergartens using an approach that is based on play and also ensuring that these kindergartens take in children of all socio-economic backgrounds.
All these changes are testament to the Ministry's commitment to provide a broad and deeper foundation for lifelong learning for our young.
Connecting the Dots: A Proposal. Sir, up to this point, I have been describing the dots that I have observed in the education landscape, future and the current. Thanks to the steadfast leadership of our Education Minister and his team, some of the dots are already connected. I shared just now. But even these changes cannot be introduced without challenges. Many of these changes involve the detoxification of the mind and weaning of habits that would take years – and some would say generations – to complete.
For instance, for the longest time, the most prominent KPI of whether a school is admired is its academic performance in high-stakes exams. It is a mindset that is entrenched not only in many parents but also in many educators and employers, in public and private service. It will take a long time to switch to a mindset that values and celebrates other forms of intelligence.
Tuition, too, is the elephant in the room that we cannot ignore. The thriving tuition industry has become a security blanket for many. Now, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a triennial global survey that evaluates education systems worldwide amongst 15-year-olds. According to the latest PISA report, which sees, of course, Singapore doing very well academically, Singapore has the highest number of students who had one-on-one private tuition. It is understandable when academically weaker students seek extra help through tuition. But when it is reported that even some of our top students from top schools regularly attend tuition classes either on their own accord or encouraged or arranged by their parents, then there is a big cause for concern. The longer we ignore the root causes, the longer we delay in working out a multitude of solutions and thereby allow this thriving shadow education industry to keep growing, the harder it will be for us to trim this
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elephant to size.
Then there are those of us who remain uneasy with the highly efficient way of sorting students with learning profiles and backgrounds in geographically separate schools. Granted, we all learn differently, with different strengths, learning styles and pace for learning. But the solution need not come in the form of physically separating students in different locations all the time in the form of Gifted schools, Normal (Technical) schools and Special schools. The solution can come in the form of scalable and quality programmes and learning support that can penetrate all schools. After all, as one OSC participant put it, \"Inclusive societies must start with inclusive schools.\"
Another Current Dot. The Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme may also run the risk of another form of competition amongst school leaders to admit yet another superior pool of students of another profile – those who are very proficient and perform very well in music, arts, sports and, now, in leadership, perseverance and character.
And what of the many who are later developers, the late bloomers, but who are sorted much earlier in life into the Express, Normal (Academic), Normal (Technical), IP and SAP learning tracks – with little chances of interacting with each other regularly in their school years?
Chasing the academics excessively, tuition, excesses of DSA, late developers, segregating versus inclusion – these are pervasive challenges that still dot the current landscape.
Now, Sir, I have full empathy that the Ministry has to tread carefully at a pace of change that is acceptable to its many stakeholders. And, indeed, at the national level, treading at a realistic pace may be the way forward as there is frequently no one response that is supported by all the different stakeholders in the system. For everyone who prefers less formal exams and rankings, there are others who cannot imagine a world without exams, top schools and tuition. Had the system been drawn from scratch now, many senior educators have said they would have the liberty to design the system in a bolder manner. Hence, I understand the need to tread carefully and slowly.
However, Sir, there is a segment of Singaporeans – myself included – who believe that we should be given the chance to go beyond the current trimming of the excesses of the system. We believe that we can move more boldly and swiftly to realise the aspirations of a segment of our population – a segment
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who wishes to help co-shape a system that addresses more aggressively the hot buttons of the day and also respond more expediently to the beckoning of the future.
I do not think it is necessary nor wise to copy wholesale admired education systems of others, bearing in mind that we are different and that even the much-lauded Finnish system is, itself, in need of change. According to Pasi Sahlberg, the renowned education ambassador from Finland, even the Finns need to connect their own dots better.
Sahlberg said this recently, \"Ask Finns about how our system will look in 2030, and they will say it will look like it does now. We (the Finns) do not have many ideas about how to renew our system. We need less formal, class-based teaching, more personalised teaching, more focus on developing social and team skills.\" And he said, \"We (the Finns) are not talking about these things at all\" – words from an education expert from Finland itself.
Indeed, Singapore should work towards creating our own brand of education to underpin the kind of country and society we want to sculpt. Let us not be overly concerned by our ranking in the systems constructed by other parties, such as the PISA. Let us, instead, develop our own balanced scoreboard and measure what we, Singaporeans, aspire for Singapore.
In this regard, I would like to propose that MOE consider starting a Pilot Cluster of Schools, very much like how it is experimenting its MOE-run kindergartens, a cluster of schools which attempts to connect the dots of the current and the future. I am proposing, Sir, schools that offer a straight 10-year quality through-train education without the need for a make or break high-stakes exam in Year 6, such as the PSLE.
I am proposing schools that, while they maintain academic rigour, do not sort and stream students into Gifted, Express, Normal (Academic), Normal (Technical), as a result of their PSLE performance and, thereby, increasing the porosity for students to take a mix of different subjects at either the Foundation, Standard or Advanced levels, banded according to their abilities and interests.
I propose pilot schools that are inclusive and are a microcosm of our society, reflective of students of different socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, race and language, allowing them to interact daily in core non-academic activities, such as morning assemblies, dismissals, recess times, play times, PE, outings, so that our young will learn to live with, tolerate and value differences from a
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young age.
I propose pilot schools that do not physically segregate students at the extreme ends of the proverbial normal distribution into separate groups from the rest; but allow them to benefit from programmes that will suit their learning needs, whichever end of the curve they are at.
I propose pilot schools that do not excessively assess their students through competitive tests but help students develop their own portfolios and use assessments and tests to self-drive their own learning as much as possible.
I propose schools led by future-ready leaders and fellow educators who themselves are lifelong learners and game to take on value-adding roles of being content curators, online learning developers and/or life coaches.
Schools where service to fellow school mates, the school and the nation is a daily exercise and not a subject or project to be graded. In a very progressive education village I visited several years ago, Secondary level school students took turns each day to feed lunch to their severely disabled school mates who were also located in the same building – a vision I cannot forget till today
I propose a pilot of schools that recognise that, in life, one can only connect the dots that one collects; and, therefore, the need to make special efforts to level up their disadvantaged young, to give them additional dots so that they can collect from boarding schools to longer school days, to the provision of computers, mobile devices and daily nutritious meals.
What would be the critical success factors of such a pilot?
The pilot will need to be co-shaped by a team that shares the same passion; and properly resourced in funding and other tangible needs. The pilot must allow for flexibility in the selection of like-minded board members, leaders and other team members, including the teachers and educators. It must allow for porosity to the rest of the current education system in two ways: one, use of resources that are currently available in schools that specialise in Gifted, Normal (Technical) and Special schools; and, two, movement of its students who choose to return to the current system.
I know that the proposed pilot will only address a segment of the learning journey of our students, but it is a good 10 years. In a separate future session, I look forward to an opportunity to discuss educating the young and old in the
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next 10 years to come.
In conclusion, Sir, I wish to end with a statement that was made by President Abraham Lincoln of the US in December 1862 in his annual State of the Union address. Of the immense challenges he was facing at the time in his political career, he said that \"the occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise – with the occasion.\"
Indeed, the occasion faced by MOE is piled high with difficulty; but Minister, those of us who believe in the direction you have charted, want to rise to and with the occasion for just one reason – to powerfully connect the dots we have collected about the future and the current – and to help prepare our precious young well for a Singapore that will be both successful and significant. With that, I thank you.
The Minister for Education (Mr Heng Swee Keat): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I would first like to thank Ms Denise Phua for supporting the Ministry's direction, especially in providing a broad and deep foundation for our students.
I would also like to thank her for her passion and conviction, and for being a consistent advocate for improving education in Singapore.
I fully agree with Ms Phua on the importance of education in our society and the need to think about the future, to assess where we are today and to imagine a better way forward.
Indeed, we have lively debates within the Ministry, and are constantly asking the same hard questions. In Our Singapore Conversation, we had also encouraged our students, parents and educators to share their ideals with us, many of which Ms Phua mentioned.
Like Ms Phua, I, too, believe that technology-enabled learning in general, and online learning in particular, has the power to unleash new ways of teaching and learning. I have spoken on this subject on several occasions, and have been studying the possibilities with my colleagues, building on what the Ministry has been doing since our first IT Masterplan.
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The critical success factors, in my mind, are the motivation of the learners, and the skills of the teachers in blending online tools with experience and insights about learning, and doing so in new and imaginative ways. The caring and skilful teacher is just as important in an online environment as in a traditional classroom, albeit the roles they play differ.
For these reasons, the Ministry has placed a primary focus on nurturing our teachers, including enabling them to be facilitators of learning, to inject the spirit of inquiry, to be life coaches and to be adept with the use of online learning. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of very passionate school leaders and teachers who are experimenting with all forms of online learning, as well as with a group of students who, as digital natives, have advanced their learning through a variety of digital tools. So, I would like to assure Ms Phua that we are exploring this area very actively.
Ms Phua spoke about the current dots in the education landscape – academic stress, tuition, late developers and social mixing. These are the result of a complex mix of policy, expectations, mindsets, perception and ground realities. We need to appreciate this.
I am always heartened when I hear the question: \"Can we do better?\" For me, education will always be a work-in-progress. We can always do better and, indeed, we must strive to do better.
The critical question is, \"how?\"
We can do better when we keep innovating. Indeed, over the years, we have had waves of innovation, each appropriate for their times. We built on our strong foundations and implemented key measures systematically across all our schools.
These waves of changes have allowed us to join the past, current and future dots, and enabled Singaporeans to thrive as our economy successfully transited from a colonial trading port to a knowledge-based economy and, as we grew up, as a nation and developed a sense of nationhood.
But for innovations in our education system to bear fruit, our approach must be guided by certain principles.
First, we will have to start with the outcomes in mind. The outcomes that Ms Phua advocates are, in fact, not different from what MOE is advocating –
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and I thank the Member for her support – to enable every student to have a broad and deep foundation for life and lifelong learning. This means, among others, to develop our children holistically; to inculcate a strong sense of rootedness; to be open and inclusive in our approach; and to be flexible with a range of learning opportunities throughout one's lifetime.
Second, we have to be forward-looking, while being responsive to current ground realities. That was our approach in Our Singapore Conversation, and we thank Ms Phua, Dr Intan and many other participants in this Conversation for their valuable contributions.
Third, we have to build on and retain our strengths. For all the areas that we are critical of, we also have to recognise that our system is highly regarded internationally, and has served our students well. This is not just because of our students' performance in international benchmarks, such as OECD's PISA, but the progress that our students have been making in academic learning, as well as the range of exposure they experience through co-curricular activities and other forms of learning.
And, indeed, all our attainments have been possible because we encourage effort and the pursuit of excellence, create opportunities for all regardless of background, and because parents value education, and teachers are dedicated. While these strengths can also result in an over-emphasis on, for instance, academic results at times, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We need a balance.
Fourth, we have a multi-layered approach to innovation which has served us well. The first layer is system-wide innovation. For example, the current structure of 10 years of basic education, and the multiple pathways are now key features of our system. The second layer is vertical or school-level innovation. For example, we have brought together innovative approaches and specialised programming on a whole-school basis, such as the Independent Schools and specialised schools like Crest and Spectra, SOTA and the Sports Schools. The third is horizontal or curricular-level innovation across all our schools. Innovations in specific areas – we scale across the whole system – to benefit all students in all our schools. For example, we have put in place the STELLAR reading programme, Programme for Active Learning, inquiry-based learning for science and problem-based learning for math, creative approaches for delivering Character and Citizenship Education, etc.
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Now, this third layer of innovation – at the horizontal-level – is very important. It may not have the same visibility as setting up a specialised school. But its impact is systemic. Teachers are empowered to experiment and try better ways and share these with others. Parents are happy that their children benefit from these programmes without having to attend a particular school. The changes benefit thousands of students across our entire school system. This is why we have been able to help students across schools learn better, and not just in one or two schools.
Fifth, for innovation to be successful and sustained, pacing and prioritisation are necessary. Innovations are lasting and yield results, only if they are deeply internalised and owned by all our stakeholders – students, parents and educators.
We are changing at a pace that allows our students, parents and educators to adapt, and to build capacity to sustain these changes. We are also changing in a systematic, consistent way, across all our schools, so that all students can benefit.
We have, in the last few years, made some very important changes, some of which will be implemented in the coming years. Ms Phua has very kindly listed some of these – changes to the PSLE system, reserving Primary 1 places, greater flexibility for Normal stream students, new CCE syllabi, and a Values-in-Action approach, the teaching values and greater emphasis on sports and play. We are also in the midst of looking at scaling online learning. We are stepping up on the engagement of parents. We are implementing applied learning programmes and learning for life programmes across all Secondary schools. Now, all these horizontal changes across schools will have major systemic impact.
In conclusion, I appreciate that Ms Phua has not only been a consistent advocate of a better education system, but also a hands-on practitioner who successfully pioneered the development of Pathlight School. Ms Phua's proposal of a pilot cluster of schools with certain features adds to the list of ideas for innovation. I will give her proposal serious consideration, but I should also caution that having debated many of these issues in my Ministry, there are significant policy and implementation issues that we would have to consider. We also have to set this proposal in the context of the many changes that we are in the midst of implementing. Pacing and prioritisation are critical, and we are at this point rolling out a series of very important horizontal innovations.
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Our goal is the same – to provide the best possible education to prepare our young for the future. I thank Ms Phua and her team for the constructive proposal which we will give serious consideration. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.
Mr Deputy Speaker: I do not know about Members but I have seen and heard many dots. I think I have seen a line now.
[(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 6.45 pm.
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","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":"Matter Raised On Adjournment Motion","questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Singaporeans Who Previously Held Foreign Citizenship","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"21 Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs how many Singapore Citizens have held citizenship from a foreign nation between 1980 to 2012 annually.
Mr Teo Chee Hean: Singapore does not allow dual citizenship. We are a small and young nation and it is important that our citizens have a long-term commitment to building a future together. Allowing Singaporeans to retain or acquire a second citizenship would dilute this commitment.
However, there are a number of Singapore Citizen (SC) minors below the age of 21 who acquired citizenship from another country because they were born overseas in that country, or one of their parents was a foreigner at the time of their birth. In addition, there are children who were Permanent Residents (PRs) obtained under their parents’ sponsorship and who were subsequently granted SC, together with their parents.
SC minors who have foreign citizenship are allowed to keep their foreign citizenship until they turn 21, when they will have to make a decision on which citizenship to retain. If they choose to remain a Singapore Citizen, they will have to give up the foreign citizenship.
On average, from 1987 to 2012, there were about 3,400 minors a year who were granted SC and also held foreign citizenships. Data before 1987 are not available.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"State of Chinese Dialects in Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"22 Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what is the Government's assessment on the state of Chinese dialects and their sustainability in a growing English-speaking environment and how will an extremely low usage and dying out of these
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dialects impact upon Chinese-Singaporean culture and heritage.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Our bilingual policy rightly encourages Chinese Singaporeans to speak Mandarin rather than the Chinese dialects as it provides a common language which allows Singaporeans to access the wider Chinese culture and economic opportunities.
However, Chinese dialects continue to be used in informal communications, as well as in traditional Chinese arts and cultural forms. For example, they are still used in hawker centres, markets, as well as in getai performances and Chinese opera.
To preserve the use of Chinese dialects, the Chinese Clan Associations organise dialect classes for children, as well as for Singaporeans of all ages who are keen to improve their proficiency in these dialects.
MCCY recognises that the Chinese dialects are part of the Chinese Singaporean culture and heritage. Thus, the National Heritage Board provides grants to several Clan Associations to help preserve their heritage and promote their activities, some of which are conducted in dialect. Dialect also continues to be used in traditional arts funded by the National Arts Council, such as in Cantonese and Teochew Opera, as well as in some contemporary theatre productions.
The National Library Board's Library@Chinatown has a specially curated collection on Chinese arts and culture. This includes materials in Chinese dialects, such as Chinese opera videos and nursery rhymes, as well as audio recordings, stories and films offered in partnership with Rediffusion.
These efforts will help ensure that the use of Chinese dialects as part of the culture and heritage of Chinese Singaporeans remains accessible to future generations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Public Transport Fare Increases","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"23 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the quantum of MRT and bus fare increases sought by each public transport operator in their latest submission; (b) whether the new fare subsidy schemes
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recommended by the Fare Review Mechanism Committee will be rolled out before any fare increases take place and all eligible commuters given ample time to apply for the subsidy schemes; and (c) how the Ministry will reach out to all commuters to ensure that they benefit from the subsidies they are eligible for.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew: The Public Transport Council (PTC) announced its decision on the 2013 fare adjustment last week. Although both public transport operators had applied for a fare increase of 6.6%, which is the combined fare cap for 2012 and 2013, the PTC approved an overall net fare increase of 3.2%, and rolled over the remaining 3.4% to the 2014 fare review exercise.
I would like to thank the Council for taking into consideration my earlier request during the November 2013 parliamentary sitting for the fare increase not to exceed the average national wage increase for 2013, which should come in at about 4-5%. The 3.2% fare increase is well below this and, hence, public transport fares will continue to be affordable for the average commuter.
At the same time, the PTC decided to implement several enhancements to existing fare concession schemes as recommended by the Fare Review Mechanism Committee (FRMC). Up to half a million commuters stand to benefit. These include young children, students, in particular, Polytechnic students, senior citizens and adult commuters who are heavy users of public transport.
The PTC decided that these enhancements will come into effect on the same day as the fare increase, that is, 6 April 2014.
On its part, the Government has decided to implement fare concession schemes for two groups of commuters who may be most impacted by the fare increase, that is lower-wage workers who are under MOM's Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Scheme, and persons with disabilities.
Eligible recipients will be notified around 6 April to apply for the two concession schemes, which will take effect from 6 July 2014. Transport vouchers will be provided to help them for the interim period between the fare increase on 6 April, and 6 July when the concessions take effect. These being new schemes, we need more time to set up the frameworks and processes, and to cater to potentially half a million applicants.
Let me assure the Member that my Ministry, the public transport operators and TransitLink will extensively publicise the enhanced and new concession
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schemes in the coming weeks, so that potential beneficiaries are made aware and can apply for and enjoy the concessions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"NS Deferment by Artists and Arts Talents","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"24 Ms Janice Koh asked the Minister for Defence between 2003 and 2013 (a) how many applications for NS deferment were made by male artists each year; (b) of these, how many had been successful each year; (c) what are the process and criteria for granting NS deferment to gifted artists; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider setting up a formal appeals committee, which may include respected arts leaders, to assess applications and recommend exceptional artistic talent for NS deferment.
Dr Ng Eng Hen: To maintain the collective commitment by all Singaporeans and PRs to national service, enlistment to NS must be applied uniformly and equitably to all enlistees. Therefore, deferments are considered very selectively and only for the few individuals with exceptional talents in the sports, arts and other areas. Even then, the deferment is not for individuals to achieve personal accomplishments for themselves but only allowed when they indicate the ability to achieve national pride for Singapore and why performing their NS duties like everyone else would prevent them from doing so.
The deferment requests for artists will be carefully assessed based on these criteria by MINDEF, in consultation with MCCY.
Based on these criteria, only a small number have been deferred in the past. Between 2003 and 2013, we received five applications for NS deferment to pursue the arts, of which two were granted deferment. Artists who are granted deferment are enlisted for NS at the earliest opportunity after their deferment period.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Long Working Hours of Singaporeans","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"25 Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) what is the amount of working hours clocked by Singaporean
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workers for each year over the last 10 years; (b) whether the long working hours play a contributory role in the low productivity level in the workforce; and (c) what are the tripartite partners doing about the physical, social and health concerns that flow from the long working hours and whether more can be done to achieve a better work-life balance.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Last year, employed residents in Singapore worked 45.6 hours per week on average, a slight decline from the 47.4 hours per week a decade before. This reflects the rise in part-time employment1. Among full-timers, there was an increase in hours worked during the economic rebound in 2010 to 49.2 hours, from 47.9 hours in 2009, although this subsequently eased to 48.2 hours in 2012 with the slowdown in economic growth2.
Studies overseas have shown that excessively long working hours can have a negative impact on productivity, largely due to the adverse effects on workers' physiological and psychological well-being. The studies also show that more flexible working arrangements that better promote work-life harmony can help to improve employees' well-being and productivity. When firms adopt a flexible working culture which is outcome-driven rather than based on hours worked, individuals can better manage their time between work and personal needs. This will, ultimately, benefit businesses as well.
The Government has put in place a range of initiatives to promote flexible work arrangements. This includes the WorkPro programme which was launched in April this year. Jointly developed with the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation, WorkPro is a one-stop programme to encourage employers to build progressive workplaces, including implementing flexible work arrangements.
The Tripartite Committee on Work-Life Strategy also works closely with various agencies, including the Employer Alliance, to promote work-life and flexible work arrangements through development forums, training, tool kits and case studies, etc.
We are heartened to see a rising trend of employers offering flexible work arrangements to their employees. In 2012, 41% of establishments offered at least one form of work-life arrangement to their employees, up from 25% in 20073. However, we believe employers can do more to offer flexible work arrangements to their employees, and we will continue to work closely with our tripartite partners to promote the adoption of flexible work arrangements and
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other progressive employment practices.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Part-timers formed 9.6% of employed residents in 2012, up from 8.4% in 2009. Comparable data for part-timers are available starting from 2009, when the definition for part-timers was changed from below 30 to below 35 hours a week to align with the revised definition in the Employment Act.","2 : After contracting by 0.8% in 2009, Singapore's real gross domestic product grew by 14.8% in 2010, before slowing to 5.2% in 2011 and 1.3% in 2012.","3 : Source: MOM's Conditions of Employment Survey 2012."],"footNoteQuestions":["25"],"questionNo":"25"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Wearing of Hijab by Staff in Uniformed Services","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"26 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Prime Minister if he will consider studying the feasibility of accommodating the wearing of the hijab by Muslim staff with the heads of the uniformed services in their organisations, subject to considerations, such as operational exigencies.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Officers are required to wear uniforms in certain services. Uniforms are to project the common identity of the service, and not just to meet operational requirements. Allowing variations would detract from this. In particular, by disallowing variations for religious reasons, we visibly uphold the secular nature of the Government and reassure citizens that they will receive key services fairly and impartially, regardless of race or religion.
The requirement to wear uniforms and not to overtly display religious symbols is a practice in many countries, though the exact form of the rules varies.
The Government has to balance the needs of different groups in our multi-racial and multi-religious society. We have maintained a broad common secular space where we all come together as Singaporeans, regardless of race or religion. At the same time, we have allowed each community space to practise its own beliefs, to the greatest extent possible. Fortunately, Singaporeans understand the need to balance what their own group wants with the need to accommodate other groups, and to preserve the common space that all benefit
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from, especially minority groups. This is why we have enjoyed a peaceful and harmonious society, and also the many freedoms that all religions have in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for Flats at Lorong 8 Toa Payoh","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"27 Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Minister for National Development for the blocks of flats built up to 1986 at Lorong 8 Toa Payoh (a) what are the plans for these flats in the next five years; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider replacing the rusting water pipe system in these blocks.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The 25 blocks of flats built before 1986 at Lorong 8 Toa Payoh have undergone various upgrading programmes over the years. Eleven blocks have undergone the Main Upgrading Programme. The other 14 blocks have been announced for the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. Of the 14 blocks, 12 are undergoing the Lift Upgrading Programme and eight have been selected for the Home Improvement Programme. Future plans for the precinct will be announced when ready, and the residents will be informed individually.
The local Town Councils are responsible for maintaining and carrying out replacement works for the water riser pipes at the common areas of the blocks. If the Member has any feedback on rusting water pipes, she can direct them to the relevant Town Council.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Defining Pioneer Generation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"28 Mr Nicholas Fang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what criteria will be used to define the Pioneer Generation who will be recognised through various measures and packages as announced in December 2013.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: During the National Day Rally in 2013, the Prime Minister announced that the Government plans to honour our Pioneer
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Generation.
The Pioneer Generation is a special group of seniors who worked hard when we started out as a new nation, and laid the foundation for today's Singapore. They paved the way for subsequent generations to live a better life. They are now in their golden years and it is timely for us to recognise their contributions and sacrifices.
We are currently developing a Pioneer Generation Package to honour this special group of elderly Singaporeans.
The Government has received several useful suggestions on how to define the Pioneer Generation. We have consulted different groups of Singaporeans to get more views. We continue to welcome suggestions on this issue through REACH or the MOF website.
The Government will provide details of how the Pioneer Generation is defined by the time of Budget 2014.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Employment of Non-Singaporeans by Civil Service and Public Agencies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Prime Minister (a) whether there are non-Singapore Citizens being employed by the Civil Service and public agencies under the Ministries of Trade and Industry, National Development, Finance and Manpower; (b) if so, why are non-Singaporeans employed to manage and shape policies affecting Singaporeans; and (c) whether policy formulation roles in all state bodies can be restricted to Singapore Citizens only.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Less than 5% of the total staff in these four Ministries and their Statutory Boards are non-Singaporeans. None of these non-Singaporeans is in key jobs involving national-level policy formulation.
Singaporeans remain the core of the Public Service workforce. Non-Singaporeans are, generally, hired only for positions that are operational in
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nature or require skills that are in shortage amongst Singaporeans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Average and Median Ages of Newly Naturalised Citizens","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Prime Minister for each year in the last 10 years, what are the average and median ages of newly naturalised citizens at the time of granting of citizenship.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Most new Singapore Citizens (SCs) are working individuals and their dependants.
The age profile of new SCs has remained relatively stable from 2003 to 2012, with the mean and median ages ranging between 23 and 25 years and 27 and 29 years respectively.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Introduction of Benefit Corporation Legislation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Ministry will consider introducing legislation, as was done in the US state of Delaware, to provide for some form of benefit corporation law which requires such for-profit \"B corporations\" to explicitly address multi-stakeholder interests and pursue specific public benefit goals.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: Benefit Corporations are a new class of corporations that was started in the United States in 2010. To date, 19 of the 50 states have adopted Benefit Corporate legislation, the most recent being Delaware (July 2013). About 400 Benefit Corporations have been formed since.
The key benefit seen in such corporations appears to be protection from legal challenge, for example, for not maximising shareholders' returns. This may be an important consideration for corporations with a strong public benefit orientation in the US context.
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In Singapore, a company incorporated under Singapore's Companies Act can include in its Memorandum and Articles of Association that its main purpose is to pursue specific public benefit goals.
For listed companies, we amended the Code of Corporate Governance in 2012 to expand the roles of Company Boards. Apart from their duties to shareholders, Company Boards are now also responsible for identifying key stakeholder groups, recognising their impact on the company and ensuring that obligations to these stakeholders are understood and met. Companies must also consider sustainability issues, for example, environmental and social issues, in formulating their business strategies. Thus far, there have been no concerns raised that companies could face legal challenges for addressing these multiple stakeholder needs.
The Government is also doing more to support social enterprises (SEs). This includes providing tax incentives and seed funding to help cover start-up and operating costs, and a mentoring programme to strengthen the organisational capabilities of SEs.
We will monitor the US experience with Benefit Corporations and consider their relevance to Singapore at an appropriate time.
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