Ang Wei Neng
Singapore
“Thank you, Speaker, and I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. Can I just ask for clarification on the three incidents of Singtel disruption? It was reported by the press that they were totally unrelated. What was the preliminary investigation based on the finding of IMDA?”
“Chairman, I have two clarifications. Firstly, we are glad that the Minister has assured us that MOT is working to establish clearer criteria for distinguishing between Cat A and Cat B COE. In the meantime, I would like to seek clarification on the reduction in the supply of Category A COE.”
“I would like to seek a clarification regarding the Lift Access Housing Grant. Could the qualifying criteria be relaxed for occupants aged 70 and above, without the need for medical certification?”
“Such an outcome would run contrary to the original intent of maintaining distinct categories within the passenger car segment. As MOT has previously stated, the primary objective of Cat A COE is to preserve a portion of the vehicle quota for mass-market cars, thereby ensuring greater accessibility and affordability for the average Singapo…”
“Under NParks' pigeon management plan, efforts remain largely focused on pigeons. I urge NParks, within MND's broader human-wildlife management framework, to evolve towards a comprehensive Pest Bird Management approach, one that also addresses other urban-adapted species, such as mynas and crows, where they cause persistent disamenities to…”
“Thank you, Chair. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to ask Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, how would she describe Singapore's current relationship with China against the backdrop of Sino-US geopolitical tensions.”
The complete record
Every one of 660 lines we hold for Ang Wei Neng, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 14.
“The same committee can also receive feedback from these companies and work with institutions of higher learning or training providers, to train Singaporeans who can take on higher level jobs in the near future. In short, we do not want to impose a strict quota on recruiting foreigners in leadership positions for companies based in Singapore as that will stifle Singapore’s competitiveness. Neither can we remain status quo where we allow more than 1,200 companies to flout the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), because they might have bad discriminatory hiring practices. We need to take the bull by its horns. We do not want major companies in Singapore to be able to hire foreigners in leadership positions too easily. We want these companies to nurture and grow the Singaporean Core. On this note, I am heartened that Deputy Prime Minister Heng has just reiterated that we need to do all things possible for the benefit of Singaporeans. We cannot leave things to chance. We need a fine balance and this could be maintained by a National HR committee led by a Minister. As we move forward, with our focus on getting good jobs for Singaporeans, this is an aspect which must become part of our conversation. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our current employment situation is very challenging, with frequent retrenchments. A few days ago, when I was making house visits, a resident lamented that several of her foreign colleagues had been sent home after their contracts expired. Some have even been laid off. She felt sad about it. I comforted her that, at least, her Singaporean colleagues and herself were able to keep their jobs. Indeed, we must try to keep Singaporeans employed.”
“Second, the gathering and sharing of data gives us an effective platform to discuss meaningful strategies moving forward. It is said, "We don't know what we don't know." By gathering data on PMET workforce composition in major companies will give us an early warning indicators before the situation gets out of hand. After all, just like when it comes to disease management, it is much easier to prevent, than to rectify. We do not want a situation where MOM starts to place employers on the watch list for possible discriminatory hiring practices after discovering that they have many Employment Pass and S Pass holders, outnumbering local PMEs. I am referring to the news in early August where 47 employers were blacklisted by MOM and majority were from the financial and professional services sectors. The third objective is the active dissemination of best practices. The Committee could work with these companies to share best practices that develop Singaporean core at the middle and top management levels. The sharing of data and best practices could push companies to level up. For instance, knowing that a company in a particular sector hires 60% to 70% of Singaporeans for its mid and top management levels, might compel other companies in the sector to do some soul-searching. Over time, the National HR Committee could develop guidelines and blueprint based on the best practices across the industries. For instance, if a company has a regional HQ in Singapore, it should have a plan to give their Singaporean executives regional exposure, which might open up opportunities for promotion later on. This is important because I realise that Singaporeans sometimes lack regional or global exposure, as they are not given opportunities to get it. As a result, they are side-lined.”
“At the base level of zero intervention, strong believers of market forces might argue that natural attrition and adaptability would gradually toughen up Singaporeans who would naturally evolve to compete. In other words, do nothing and let Singaporeans rise to the challenge. At the other extreme, policies could be tweaked to strongly encourage or penalise companies, with the intention of forcefully creating a Singaporean Core. There is a middle ground of "soft power" and gentle persuasion, where the Government can work together with businesses and unions to jointly seed the appeal of developing a Singaporean Core and explore together how this can best be done. My suggestion is to set up a National Human Resource Committee, working through the Industry Transformation Maps or ITMs which have been developed in great detail for 23 industries. This National HR Committee could work through the six sub-committees under the Future Economy Council, which oversee ITM developments, to take into account the development of a Singaporean Core. They would ensure that Singaporeans are a part of the ITM transformation on a meaningful level so that Singaporeans are not left behind. There are three main objectives of setting up the National HR committee. One is sending a strong signal. The National HR Committee can have regular meetings with the Head of HR of the major companies in Singapore to understand their manpower concerns and their commitment in building a Singaporean Core in the management team. By the way, whether the head of HR of the major companies is helmed by a Singaporean could be a reflection of their dedication to build a Singaporean Core. Whether the company is "major" would be defined in terms of specific turnover, profit and/or number of staff in Singapore.”
“Unfortunately, the said company was forced to shut down and he became jobless. There are many similar regional roles, in big companies, which he may be suitably qualified. But he is having trouble getting these opportunities. Why is that so? Let us look at what other countries are doing to protect their citizens. In Australia, the government had tried to improve "social cohesion" by abolishing a 457 visa in March 2018, which was often used by skilled migrants to work in Australia, including middle and top-management level executives like CEOs and CIOs. The 457 visa was replaced with a more restrictive visa. The government also required employers to first try, to try very hard to find an Australian citizen or permanent resident for a job, and only bring in foreign talent when there is no local talent available. On this, a South China Morning Post article stated in its headline, "The Australians first policy that ban 457 visa scheme for skilled migrants will only hurt the economy." Most recently in June 2020, US President Donald Trump suspended foreign worker visas, including the H-1B visa used by the tech industry to hire highly skilled workers. The move was obviously to protect jobs for the Americans. In a world which is increasingly nationalistic and inward-looking, this is probably not what we want. Fundamentally, Singapore needs to stay competitive. Preferential treatment can be detrimental to a country's prospects, especially in Singapore which is international in nature. There are many complex reasons why a person is promoted or retained, or why a foreigner is brought in. But at a basic level, Singaporeans should be given the opportunities to compete. The critics may ask is there a need to intervene at all?”
“Thus, it was timely, important and pertinent that the President spoke about securing jobs for Singaporeans, and this is the top national priority. On this note, I am glad that my parliamentary colleague, Mr Patrick Tay, will co-chair the task force to protect local PMEs in Singapore. However, we need to do more than that. Protecting the Singaporean Core of PMETs is not something that should end once the economy recovers. We must continue to safeguard this, across all industries and not just pay attention to the financial sector. As the CEO of a private company, I often have to collaborate with technology companies, banks, financial institutions and other MNCs. Through these interactions, I have had my fair share of instances where I think to myself, "This is not right". In one such instance, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a Head of a delivery company in Singapore before the circuit breaker. The delivery company is a subsidiary of a MNC with headquarter in Germany and the country Head in Singapore is a Frenchman in his early 30s. He admitted that it would be very difficult for him to find a similar opportunity in France given its high unemployment rate. He added that many of his expatriate friends had the same experience, that is, it is easier for them to look for good jobs in Singapore. Have we made it too easy for foreign "talent" to work in Singapore? Especially those in the middle to top management level? In my admittedly anecdotal experience, I feel that Singaporeans can fill many regional or senior management positions, which are filled by foreigners right now and it is not that they are lacking in any way. Just recently, I caught up with an acquaintance who used to work as a regional CEO of a start-up company.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a chance to visit the Changi Business Park. When I stepped into a lift, there were many well-dressed people, apparently foreigners, and were speaking in a language that was foreign to me. For the first time, I felt like a foreigner in my own country. However, Minister Josephine Teo in MOM's Addendum to the President's address last week, stated that nearly six in 10 locals in the workforce today are employed in professional, managerial, executive and technician (PMET) jobs, which is among the highest in the world. This sounds impressive. But then why some Singaporeans feel like a foreigner in our own country? When I checked the MOM's statistics, I noted that there were 193,700 Employment Pass or E Pass holders and 200,000 S Pass holders as of December 2019. Why are there so many? I reckon that this is due to the low Total Fertility Rate or TFR in Singapore. Thirty years ago, Singapore's TFR was 1.8 babies per female. Today, it is only 1.1. This means that for every one local employee, we need to supplement it by almost one foreign worker in Singapore, so as to maintain the existing size of the Singapore workforce; otherwise, our labour force will shrink and Singapore will be in trouble. That is well and good, and something which many people probably accept in good times when their jobs and incomes are secure. However, Singapore is experiencing deep recession now. Make no mistake about it. Retrenchment is on the rise. Unemployment rate hits a record high of 3.9% in the last quarter, the highest in 10 years. When Singaporeans lose their jobs and foreigners are still holding on to PMET jobs, many will be unhappy.”
“She says she wanted to come up with a scheme which is a win-win solution to support local businesses, hawkers like her mother's, while feeding vulnerable people. Joyce is not alone. There are many similar stories like hers. We want to encourage more. We want to collect all these good deeds and inspire more to follow. This year National Day will not have the glitter and pageantry of the huge parades like what we have had over the last 54 years. This year's National Day is our nation's 55th birthday. We want to celebrate the unsung heroes fighting the COVID-19, the everyday resilience and the sense of community on the ground which has given us a silver lining during these challenging times. Like our pioneers in the late 1960s and 1970s that have built our nation from scratch, we will be the pioneers in winning the war over COVID-19. We are using the reserve build up by our Pioneers to fight the current crisis. But, we are also want to be the pioneers that transform our economy digitally so that our children can reap the fruits of our new digital economy. In the fight against COVID-19, I hope all Singaporeans can proudly say “count on me”. 11.46 am”
“(In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, resilience is forged through crisis. With this fourth Budget, the Government has already pumped in $93 billion to help Singaporeans and the economy. While COVID-19 has created havoc, it is clear that COVID-19 has also brought out the best in us, not just in putting the community above self-interest and abiding by the circuit breaker rules, but also in how some of us are extending a helping hand to others. There are countless examples, like those who have volunteered to help out in the frontline at the migrant worker dormitories, or those who have signed up with different charities via Giving.sg to donate money, essential items or volunteer their time. There are also many inspiring stories in Jurong West, helping others during this difficult time. One of our residents, Joyce Yu, did not throw up her hands in defeat when her parent's nasi lemak hawker stall suffered from a plunge in business due to COVID-19 and the circuit breaker measures. Instead, she managed to raise funds from her friends so that her parents could provide nasi lemak as free breakfast for needy families in Jurong. As her parents also had hawker friends who were in the same situation, she slowly expanded the scheme. Today, she has raised about $20,000, not just from her friends, but also through the Giving.sg website and the Loving Hearts Multi-Service Centre in Jurong. These funds help to pay about nine workers, including her parents, to provide about 150 free breakfasts to families in Jurong every day. Grassroots volunteers also chipped in by distributing the food free of charge. Joyce has a full-time job with YMCA but she is happy to liaise with the hawkers and raise funds.”
“Some were positive; some were negative. Therefore, I would like to make a few suggestions so that we can improve the e-payment adoption rate and the efficiency of digital ambassadors. Some stallholders are worried about the cash flow problem, so they hope that they will be able to get the e-payments by customers several hours after the payments were made. Stallholders currently pay cash to suppliers for materials. If this segment of the supply chain can be digitised, more stallholders may be encouraged to adopt e-payment. There are currently 19 e-payment platforms in Singapore. I understand that the intention of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is to allow different e-payment platforms to thrive. However, this may lead to confusion and it may distract customers. I suggest that IMDA focus on one or two platforms such as PayNow and NETS. This will make e-payment easier for Singaporeans, especially the elderly. According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, most of the digital ambassadors recruited will be graduates from Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL). These fresh graduates are familiar with technology, but they may not empathise with the fear and resistance of stallholders against e-payments. I hope that the Government will focus more on recruiting Singaporeans who may have initial reservations about technology but have learnt to use e-payment eventually. Then, they can effectively encourage stallholders to embark on digital transformation. The Chinese say that food is the most important of all things. Only when everyone can use e-payment to buy food, can we say that our digital transformation is truly taking shape. I hope that from now onwards, stallholders who used to count cash will use the QR code as the norm.”
“Otherwise, no matter how much support and grants are given, so long as companies cannot operate, there will still be retrenchments and insolvencies. I believe that the Government will be flexible in this aspect. I am the advisor of the Renovation Contractors’ Associations. The Chairman of the Association, its key members and myself have held meetings with BCA several times to pave the way for resuming work. Many families’ renovation projects had to stop because of the circuit breaker measures, and they cannot wait for the project to start again. However, the requirements for resumption of renovation projects have been very stringent. Through several rounds of consultations, BCA has simplified the procedures and allowed several thousand renovation projects to resume on 2 June. I would like to thank BCA for their help. COVID-19 has disrupted industries and sped up the pace of digital transformation. However, at markets and hawker centres, most stallholders accept cash only. After NETs was set up in 1985, Singapore soon became the leader for e-payments in Asia. However, after so many years, we have lagged behind other Asian countries in terms of e-payments. Therefore, I am happy to see the establishment of the Digital Transformation Office and that every hawker will be given a $300 monthly bonus for the next five years to encourage them to adopt cashless payments. There are also plans to recruit 1,000 digital ambassadors to help the elderly Singaporeans learn digital skills. Last year, when organising the River Hongbao activities, we worked with NETS to encourage the food stallholders to adopt cashless payments. However, the results were lacklustre. When I visited markets, hawker centres and coffeeshops, I also received feedback on cashless payments from stallholders.”
“Fortunately, they had gone out less during the circuit breaker period and have minimised the risk of infecting others. If we apply the testing and confirmed case numbers of the pre-school staff to the 2.4 million working citizens and Permanent Residents in Singapore, then the infection rate of 0.03% would mean that there may be 861 local residents who have been infected but are unaware about it. More importantly, among the 39,000 pre-school staff, one individual was infected recently. From the infection of pre-school staff, it is not difficult to understand why zero community infection could not be maintained in the past few weeks. Moving forward, as we embark on the first phase of the post-circuit period, more people will leave home to work and the risk of community infection will definitely increase. I know that many SMEs would like to resume operations but I would urge everyone to be more patient. On the other hand, our community infection rate has been relatively low. The death rate has also remained low. There are only five patients in ICU currently. Experts say that in the next one and a half years, it is not possible to eradicate COVID-19 totally from the community. Therefore, Singaporeans must remain vigilant, wash their hands frequently, wear a mask and maintain the one metre safe distance. Safe management measures at workplaces will become the new normal. If people are infected, they should be quarantined immediately, and proactive contact tracing must be conducted. If people are able to accept this new normal and understand that COVID-19 will not disappear in a few months like SARS, I hope MTF will allow all industries to resume operations as soon as possible. This will boost consumption and save jobs.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Budget. In Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, COVID-19 has led to economic contraction all around the world and Singapore is no exception. If we do not have sufficient reserves, the $33 billion Fortitude Budget would not be possible. We have to thank the previous Governments for saving for a rainy day, progressively setting aside budget surpluses for our reserves. Because of this, we are able to come up with four Budgets totaling $93 billion to assist Singaporeans, save companies, save jobs and save lives. The circuit breaker has just ended and every company hopes to resume operations as soon as possible. Every employer is eager for his or her employees to resume work. Every Singaporean hopes to resume their lifestyles like before, visiting their parents, shopping, and going to the park. Currently, there is no cure nor vaccine for COVID-19, so we cannot do away with the preventive measures. So then how can we deal with the new normal in the post-circuit breaker period? Will COVID-19 continue to spread in the community? What is the level of risk? Perhaps, the testing of 39,000 pre-school staff can offer some clues. Currently, 14 pre-school staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19, which translates to an infection rate of 0.036%. Among the 14, 13 had contracted the virus previously and were no longer infectious at the point when they were confirmed as positive cases. In other words, these 13 pre-school staff were not aware that they had been infected prior to testing. Before they recovered, they could have passed the virus to others and spread it to the community while they were out and about.”
“This is similar to the practice amongst the telcos where some of the players are buying bulk from the existing telcos, repackage these and sell broadband connection at a lower price to the end customers. So, I hope MTI can consider injecting competition into the local petrol market to silence the criticism that major oil companies are profiteering.”
“First, I want to thank Speaker for the opportunity to ask the questions and I also thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the comprehensive reply. I would like to first declare my interest as CEO of the ComfortDelGro taxi business. The fact that we have many questions over the last few months about fuel price, means that a lot of Members of the Parliament and also members of the public are not convinced that oil companies are behaving fairly. The fact that the five oil companies are making a lot of money, also adds to the suspicions. I like what Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat said about the food delivery companies at the last sitting. Senior Minister of State Chee said that it may not be wise to cap the commission fees of the food delivery companies and the better way is to inject competition. Thus, MTI is encouraging the restaurants and food outlets to engage the delivery companies under the Food Delivery Booster Package. In that way, the end customers can get food from the food outlets directly without going through the food delivery companies. So, in the same way, I would ask a supplementary question. Will MTI consider injecting competition to the local petroleum market? And there are two options, one is to remove the three-quarter tank rule, so that Singapore motorists can go to Johor Bahru to pump petrol when COVID-19 is over. However, Singapore Government will lose the petrol tax if the Singapore cars go over to Johor Bahru to buy petrol. The second option is to allow white pump operators to sell fuel to the general public instead of selling the fuel to their own the fleet of vehicles only.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. As the number of community COVID-19 infections is reducing, what is the Government's plan to reopen the economy? If the Government do reopen the economy, which are the broad sectors, particularly the production and service sectors, will be first to be allowed to resume the services and production?”
“These days, we wash our hands often to reduce the chance of infection. After the outbreak, this habit will make us healthier. Similarly, our hawkers are not used to selling food online. But after 7 April, they must learn to use online platforms to sell food to make up for the loss of no dining-in. Before, people like to use cash in the form of notes and coins that are good conduits for bacteria. Therefore, we have to popularise cashless transactions as much as possible. In the old days, to change a habit may take years, but now, we must change within a few months. If we do not change, we will not survive. It is often said that a crisis also presents opportunities. This COVID-19 outbreak will eventually pass. As long as we stay united with the Government during the outbreak, learn digital technology and embrace the digital economy, the sky will become bluer after the rain. (In English): In the long battle against COVID-19, it is not just a whole-of-Government effort that matter; it is a whole-of-nation effort. This is wartime. This is not a war against another human race but a war against an invisible virus. In war time, we must do what we may not like, change in the way we never thought we would, and do whatever we can to help everyone survive. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Resilience and Solidarity Budgets. 3.31 pm”
“This goes beyond school teachers to those who give tuition, teach musical instruments, even corporate trainers. We urge them to organise themselves to learn different online learning platforms so that they can use these to survive and perhaps with a nudge from the Government with some funding. They need these digital skills now, and they can use these skills even after the COVID-19 threat is over. Similarly, our fellow Singaporeans selling food at the hawker centres or eating places have to adapt to a new reality come tomorrow, 7 April. To better survive, they need to establish an online presence so they can sell to Singapore residents who order through platforms like of Food Panda and others. Likewise, for the cashless movement. Physical dollars and coins are not the cleanest items to carry around and now is the time to accelerate our cashless push. The other is in food supplies. The vulnerability of Singapore's food supplies has never been clearer. While we have always diversified our food supplies, to obtain food from as many countries as possible, but COVID-19 is affecting every country. And while I hope another COVID-19 will not happen for the next century, it would be wise for us to think of how to invest in homegrown food. We could encourage the growth of urban farming, the creation of farm plots around office buildings which staff can use to grow vegetables for not just for own consumption, but also for the mental well-being. This is what I have observed in my recent trip to Israel late last year. We have to put deep thoughts into making urban farming scalable and sustainable. In Mandarin, please, Mr Speaker. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] These are extraordinary times as we fight the COVID-19 outbreak. Take washing hands, for example.”
“We understand that MOM has already allowed workers, especially those employed in sectors which are badly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, to take on other jobs while they are on paid leave or unpaid leave, including airport ground handling staff, hotel chambermaid, waiter and waitress and so on. We need e2i and other job agencies, to leverage on existing job portals so that down-and-out Singaporeans can refer to and sign up for temporary jobs which are currently in huge demand. COVID-19 is forcing us to make rapid changes. This need for swift changes can be seen in a good light. For example, COVID-19 is accelerating digital transformation and completely overturning the way things may have been done, things which might have taken a far longer period to change otherwise. Many people, for instance, have to work from home, which bosses might not have liked in the past including myself but there is no choice now. If a blend of home and office work becomes a more accepted norm, this will improve work-life balance and also traffic congestion in the long run, including easing the public transport on the train or the bus. This also presents an opportunity for the Government to spend wisely. Not only as a fiscal stimulus to keep the economy going or put money in citizen's pockets, now $600, but to build up Singapore's future capabilities. One of these major areas is in digitisation, which has become critical at a time when the only thing that could link us when you are at home for the next one month to the outside world, is our Internet connection. Take home-based learning. The learning curve is extremely steep and drastic, yes, but thousands of teachers all over Singapore have no choice but to teach onscreen.”
“The key difference between car drivers and delivery people using bicycles or motorcycles, is the parking fees, and the need to find carpark slots which may be unavailable or very far away. The issue of parking is quite small still as compared to other issues, but I would still like to appeal to HDB to waive the parking charges for delivery vehicles in this trying period. I would like to address the next more important issue. Many of my residents, friends and colleagues are complaining that they cannot find a slot for the online grocery companies to deliver their groceries in a timely manner. Many think that these online firms cannot cope with their delivery schedules due to the lack of delivery vehicles. Thus, urging me to send 10,000 taxis to the rescue. This is so that they can get their groceries ordered online to be delivered on time. Things are not so simple, however. There is a market failure. Maybe it is time for Government intervention. As industries are thrown into states of ramped-up demand versus no demand, there are other situations where "perfect matches" might exist. Coming back to the topic of online grocery shopping. I understand that the long waiting time, of up to a week or two, may not necessarily be due to the lack of delivery personnel, but the lack of people to pick and pack the groceries. We probably need thousands of them. Can we find labour? What about the people in the tourism industry that are without jobs due to almost zero tourist arrival? Can they be given the opportunity to step up and earn some money?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Deputy Prime Minister Heng has announced three rounds of Budget measures in three months to help Singaporeans overcome COVID-19. These measures have made a huge difference in assuring Singaporeans that our Government is taking take care of all of us. In living with COVID-19, as individuals and businesses, we all have to make huge changes which are often uncomfortable and unprecedented. But even as we make these huge changes overnight – and these are changes which would in better times have taken months or years of study and discussion, the devil is always in the details. Let me give one example which I am personally involved with. Before I carry on my speech, I will like to declare my interest as the CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi business. Minister Khaw Boon Wan recently announced that taxi and private-hire car drivers can now help to make grocery and food deliveries. This is a classic solution of killing two birds with one stone, addressing the ramped-up demand for grocery and food deliveries, and giving our affected drivers an alternative source of income. As the taxi Head, I am all for the idea. We have 10,000 taxis and 25,000 cabbies who are experiencing a deep drop in their income from the lack of passengers. Cabbies' income will continue to drop even we have waived their taxi rental completely for the next 28 days. Thus, I am open to all ways that can help our cabbies survive. However, the puzzle pieces do not automatically click into place. One much overlooked barrier is parking fee. For example, cabbies making food deliveries need to park the car in a carpark, wait for the food to be ready which take some time, and drive to a destination which might also charge parking fees.”
“Chairman, the push by the Government to phase out the internal combustion engine vehicles in Singapore by 2040 is a very ambitious plan. This means that more than 600,000 diesel and petrol vehicles today will be replaced by full electric vehicles or other green vehicles in 20 years' time unless the Government is thinking of shrinking the vehicle population very drastically. Before I proceed, I will like to declare my interest as the CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi business. I have explicitly supported the plan to roll out more clean and green vehicles last week in the Parliament. However, I will like to make a few clarifications today. Firstly, how is the Government going to realise the plan of increasing the charging points from the current 1,600 points to 28,000 points in 2030? What kind of incentives will Government provide for real estate owners, car park owners or operators or new players to install more new charging points? Today, we have about 1,125 electric vehicles (EVs) supported by 1,600 charging points. Come 2030, how many EVs can be supported by 28,000 charging points? If most of the EVs are charging at about the same time, say in the evening, do we need to upgrade our Power Grid? The current Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) allows fleet owner to enjoy up to $30,000 of rebate off the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) but the EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) is only capped at $20,000 rebate off the ARF. In short, EEAI alone is not as attractive as VES. Does MOT have plan to continue with VES next year so as to supplement and compliment the EEAI? We will like to seek clarity so that fleet owners can better support Government's green initiative. Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles”
“However, nothing is perfect, just like when Police say Singapore has low crime, it does not mean there is no crime. When Singapore Airport is ranked the best airport in the world for a few years, it does not mean there is no lost luggage in Changi Airport. Likewise, it is unreasonable to expect the train system be perfect and no breakdown at all. It is more important to build resilience within the train system; and the Circle Line and Downtown line have added resilience and some redundancy with the train system. Similarly, the upcoming Thomson Eastern Line as well as Cross Island Line will build more resilience within the system. So, train passengers then can have alternatives when one line is down – like the London train system. To this end, I would like to ask the Minister when is a good time for LTA and Singapore train operators to join forces to bid for management of train services overseas? By operating train services overseas, it will enable us to learn the best practices first hand and also bring the best to Singapore. This will benefit our Singapore commuters. Train operators like Hong Kong's MTR has been operating overseas for quite some time. They have been operating 1,000 km of track in London, Stockholm and Australia. Similarly, French state-owned public transport company RATP operates in 14 countries and they have deep knowledge in how to operate the train system. At some point of time, I would like to ask the Minister when will the Singapore fraternity, the train fraternity, consider operating the train system overseas, share our expertise overseas and bring the best to Singapore? Renewal Plans for LRTs”
“Chairman, I am glad that MOT is accelerating the construction of Singapore’s network of cycling paths by a few years. It was previously announced that the network would be expanded from the 440 km currently, to 750 km by 2025, and up to 1,300 km by 2030. Does it mean that we are really trying to accelerate? We hope that MOT will give a firmer update on the timeline? Does it mean that we are aiming to build 1,300 km of cycling paths five years earlier, that means by 2025? In determining exactly how the cycling paths should be laid out, to what extent does MOT consult with the local community? For instance, as cycling paths are typically carved out of existing footpaths for the more mature estates, who decides if the cycling paths are to be located on the left or right of the footpaths? Who decides the footpath were to be sandwiched between the cycling path and the road or the cycling path be sandwiched between the footpath and the road? Also, from past experiences, we encounter problems with mature trees blocking the potential new cycling path or shared path. How is MOT coordinating with the various Ministries to expedite the construction of these cycling paths? Operating Train Services Overseas Chairman, my next cut is on Operating Train Services Overseas. This morning, there is a breakdown in the train service from Bishan to Yio Chu Kang, so that prompted me to change my speech. Let me declare my interest as part of the management team of ComfortDelGro before I continue my speech. Singapore's train system has surpassed 1 million train-km between delays of more than five minutes. It is not a small feat. I do not know whether this morning's breakdown, how will it affect the 1 million mark.”
“Chairman, I would like to declare my interest as the CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi Business. COVID-19 hit Singapore suddenly and spread quite rapidly. We appreciate MOT's swift actions to announce plan to help our P2P drivers even before Budget day. Such move was greatly appreciated by the P2P drivers, because it is such a big improvement as compared to the time of SARS, when the help was given later. However, the Special Relief Fund (SRF) of $10 per day is really not enough. Taxi operators have provided a top-up, by providing rental rebate of up to $26.50 per day, over and above the SRF of $10 per day. By doing so, taxi operators are in the red but taxi drivers and P2P drivers are still suffering. Many P2P drivers met me at the coffeeshops, in the course of my work, to appeal to the Government to increase the quantum of SRF. Alternatively, LTA can help to provide tax rebates to P2P operators so that the operators can pass the savings to the P2P drivers. The Minister has openly said, many times, that the Government is willing to provide more help, as and when it is needed. Minister, the “when” is now. Transport Response to COVID-19”
“MOE has done a lot of transformation for the past few years. I would like to thank the Minister and his team for their passion, hard work and determination as well. I have two clarifications for the Ministers. First, we are glad that MOE is providing generous bursaries for students at the Polytechnic and also Universities. We also note that at the University, especially, the tuition fee has been increasing year after year for the past. I do not know whether MOE is continuing with this policy of increasing the tuition fee every year. If it is so, then will the bursary also increase year after year? The second clarification is that we are glad that that AUs are taking 2,800 ICT students this academic year. It is about two, three times more compared to the past. Does the Minister have a breakdown of these ICT students by the six Universities? And also, whether the Universities are working with the industrial players to co-create a curriculum, so that the skill-sets acquired by all these students will be matched by the demand of the industry?”
“Moving forward, how does MOE plan to link up UPLIFT efforts with community initiatives like SAS, so that we can partner the Government to better help those students in need? Partnership with Parents and Community”
“Chairman, there are many ground-up initiatives in the community to support children from underprivileged families. In Jurong, for example, we have stepped up our efforts over the years. Two years ago, we started the Jurong Central Student Assistance Scheme or SAS, that helps students from families that receive financial assistance from the Social Service Office. We provide $40 to $50 vouchers per month for each student when they to join SAS with parental consent. These students are mentored by trained volunteers in the areas of life skills, social skills and leadership skills. If these students are underperforming in their academic studies, we will provide them with free tuition. To-date, 50 students from more than 30 families have benefited from the scheme for the last 20 months. We have managed to get two donors to donate more than $250,000 over five years. We hope to share and scale this scheme. This is why I was excited to hear about the UPLIFT Community Pilots started by MOE. My experience working with the SAS recipients has shown me that it is not enough to provide financial assistance to students from disadvantaged families. We need to dive deep and understand the needs of the students and families, and provide necessary support like mentorship, so as to monitor, guide and to encourage the students to be the best persons they can be. I believe MOE's UPLIFT efforts are also in the same spirit, with the aim of providing support holistically to children and families in need. To do so, it is important for us to strengthen and coordinate our efforts across agencies and community partners for these students. As more than a year has passed since UPLIFT was first announced, I would like to ask MOE for the progress update.”
“Chairman, we have been encouraging Singaporean students to upgrade and the Government has also increased the capacity of the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). But tuition fees at the IHLs have been on the rise since 2010. At Universities, the fee hikes for local undergraduates for previous years have ranged from 0.6% to 8%. CNBC estimated that Singapore University costs have risen 38% since 2007. Most recently, in August 2018, all six local Universities have raised tuition fees. Students in the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and Polytechnics were also similarly subjected to higher fees in 2019. It is important that students from under-privileged families can enrol in IHLs to use education as a lever to uplift themselves. With an increasing cost of living, we hope MOE can increase the financial assistance to students in IHLs. I will also like to urge MOE to consider disbursing more targeted bursaries which award different quantum depending on the student's family income level and socio-economic background. Enhanced Support for ITE Students”
“Chairman, please allow me to declare my interest as CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi business. Over the last decade, digital technology, including but not limited to mobile phone applications technology, has significantly impact on our daily life. Digital technology has disrupted many business models but has also created about new business models. In ComfortDelGro Taxi business, we have embarked on digital transformation since 2018. We have formed agile squads, hire data scientists, hire people with digital marketing skills, hire millennials with user experience or user interface skill sets, hire project managers that can manage the IT programmers that are based at the offshore development centres in India, Myanmar and so on. We are hiring many Infocomms or ICT talents but we cannot get enough local ICT talents. We are not alone. Many technology-based companies and companies that are embarking in digital transformation are finding it hard to recruit local ICT talents in the areas of data analytics, artificial intelligence, automation and other cutting-edge technologies. As we transform our economy to be digital-focused, we need our six local universities to produce more ICT talents. Thus, I will like to ask the Minister how many ICT graduates have our six local universities produced in the last three years? Moving ahead, are the local universities planning to produce even more ICT graduates? How are our local universities equipping the non-IT undergraduates with skill sets to interpret data and basic ICT skills so that they can better survive in this digital world? For that matter, how is MOE developing plans to better equip students from Primary to Secondary school to be digital ready? Online Learning”
“Chairman, I believe that CCE is an important part of our education. Some students, however, think that CCE is a chore or, worse, think that is merely propaganda. Perhaps, they do not appreciate its relevance, especially if examinations are around the corner. I urge the Ministry to consider how to make CCE more engaging and robust. One way is to draw from current happenings to start discussions in CCE lessons. For instance, teachers can engage students to reflect on the challenges posed by the on-going COVID-19 outbreak and discuss how best our communities can respond. Students can discuss how everyone can play a part in being socially responsible. This is especially relevant when one of the students in a top school was infected with COVID-19 last week. When we include more of such relatable content, CCE lessons can become less of a chore to our students. It would also enable teachers to more effectively guide students towards making sound moral judgements and be motivated to contribute to society. Teaching of Thinking Skills in Schools”
“As fundraising has almost come to a standstill, this is because many businesses are more concerned with survival than corporate philanthropy. Thus, we must do what we can to help keep these charities and non-profit groups going and stretch their fundraising dollars. I would like to suggest the Government extend the Bicentennial Community Fund (BCF), where the Government matches $1 for each dollar of donation. It was supposed to end on 31 March this year in 2020. But I strongly advocate that it be extended until the end of 2020 so that the beneficiaries whose lives depend on the money raised from well-wishers can continue to get help. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has done a very good job of managing COVID-19, putting in all resources in finding and healing the sick. The greater challenge now is how we can pull together and help one another. Those who can must help those who cannot to tide over the economic crisis. The Budget has made a very good first step and the rest of the journey is for us to walk together and, together, we can overcome the odds.”
“These are, indeed, very hard times for us as our incomes have been severely hit and many drivers have given up. Not to mention also the daily stress of fearing for our own health as we are frontline service providers who do not want to be a problem to our loved ones. Sir, I would like you to know that we appreciate any help your company and the Government are providing us to help us survive this episode. This fight is far from over and may last several more months. Let us work together in our fight against this epidemic as we look forward to coming out of this crisis stronger and better. We most certainly will overcome. We must! May you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy." Robert summarises nicely the sentiment of many taxi drivers. Other than point-to-point drivers, the livelihood of Singaporeans working in the private sectors have been badly affected by the negative impact of the economy. Those working in the tourism industry are the worse hit. Gig workers and freelance workers are also badly hit. Many freelance workers are engaged by Government departments. For example, fitness instructors engaged by Active SG, orchestra music instructors engaged by MOE schools are having their earnings significantly reduced when organisations are cancelling activities involving more than 50 people. While there is a cancellation clause which is included in the contracts of some legally savvy freelancers, many others do not. For such cases, I would like to appeal to MOF to allow the Government agencies to pay up to 50% of the fees charged by freelancers even when their engagements are cancelled due to COVID-19. Such help will go a long way in keeping them afloat. Another vulnerable group are those in society who receive help from charities and non-profit groups.”
“Taxi companies then decided to provide another $16.50 in daily rental rebates to taxi drivers. In other words, taxi drivers will enjoy up to $36.50 in rental rebates per day. Even though taxi companies will be running at a loss by doing so, for the sake of taxi drivers and the taxi industry, taxi companies still decided to go ahead with the rental rebates. But still, many taxi drivers are unable to make a living. We, therefore, hope that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will consider providing more assistance for taxi drivers. Thank you! (In English): For taxi drivers, their loved ones are most impacted by the outbreak. All the taxi companies are providing additional help over and above the Government's Special Relief Fund (SRF) of $10 per day. Some taxi companies, including ComfortDelGro Taxi, is providing additional rental rebate of up to $26.50 over and above the SRF. That is, cabbies are getting a total rental rebate of up to $36.50 per day until the end of March 2020. With these additional rebates, the taxi companies will go into the red over the next few months. Even then, the cabbies are still suffering a significant drop in their net income. Thus, I call on the Government to do more for cabbies. Perhaps the Government can consider matching what the taxi companies are doing for the cabbies by increasing the quantum of the SRF. Singaporeans will remember the good deed by the Government. Just a couple of days ago, one cabby by the name of Robert Chew wrote me a touching email. Let me read out an excerpt of what he wrote: "I would like to thank you as Member of Parliament for bringing our feedback to our Government and working with them to offer us some financial assistance by way of supplementing our daily rentals.”
“Rather than putting all eggs in one basket, I would like to suggest considering other alternatives to not replace, but supplement EVs, like fuel cell or hydrogen vehicles. China, Japan and South Korea are already working to put millions of hydrogen-powered vehicles on their roads, because it is not only cleaner, its driving range and refuelling time are comparable to gasoline cars. We understand that in the second half of 2019, that is, last year, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) awarded a hydrogen feasibility study to American engineering giant Kellogg Brown and Root, to assess the feasibility of importing hydrogen for downstream uses, ranging from vehicle fuelling to power generation. Can PMO or the Land Transport Authority (LTA) share their preliminary thoughts while waiting for the full report of the study? This year's Budget, Mr Speaker, is the Unity Budget with an eye on COVID-19. Mr Speaker, Sir, please allow me to speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The COVID-19 outbreak has seriously impacted many Singaporeans, including taxi drivers. When people talk about the smaller crowd in downtown areas, I lament the fall in businesses for taxi drivers. During the SARS outbreak, even though there was a drop in foreign tourists, locals still go to work as usual. But today, many office workers take turns to work from home and this has worsened the situation for taxi drivers. We thank the Government for launching a special relief package for taxi drivers on Valentine’s Day. Taxi drivers will receive a rental rebate of $10 per day from the Government, and another $10 per day in rental rebates from taxi companies. In total, taxi drivers will receive rental rebates of $20 per day. Yet, taxi drivers still complained.”
“Thus, we are fully supportive of Singapore’s drive to move towards a sustainable and "green" transport and phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. I am heartened by MOF’s announcement to launch an EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) by providing 45% rebate off the Additional Registration Fees (ARF), capped at $20,000 and subject to a minimum ARF of $5,000. At the same time, the Government will impose an additional road tax of up to $700 per year for EVs. When we do a calculation based on the more popular Korean full electric passenger car, the EEAI scheme does not appear to be attractive. In fact, the current Carbon Emission-Based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) which offers a rebate of up to $30,000 off the ARF is more attractive than the EEAI scheme of only $20,000. The additional road tax makes EEAI even less attractive. In addition, cabbies who drive EVs have to endure the inconvenience of taking 30 minutes to one hour to fully charge their electric taxis. The promise of halving the charging time and halving the cost of car battery every three years still remain a promise. In fact, some in the car battery industry point out that "exaggerated claims are commonplace, and that not everyone is convinced” that planned car battery breakthroughs will become a reality. Thus, I would like to clarify with MOF whether they really think that the EEAI will entice fleet owners like us to choose EVs over hybrid vehicles. Do not get me wrong, I am supportive of having more "green" and "clean" vehicles. It is just that we do not want Singapore to bet on the wrong "green" car, like the experience we had with compressed natural gas (CNG) cars.”
“I understand that many local companies are listing on other stock exchanges in New York, London and, especially Hong Kong, over SGX. In 2019, 10 Singapore firms were listed in Hong Kong, raising US$155 million. This is a 25% increase from 2018, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Computer gaming accessories company Razer chose to list not in Singapore but in Hong Kong in November 2017. Some of these firms listed overseas are apparently drawn to better liquidity and higher valuations. I have personally spoken to the head of two companies that listed their companies in Hong Kong last year. They have also affirmed the same. Worse, according to Euromoney.com, delistings over the last five years have outnumbered listings. The number of companies registered on SGX fell to 741 at the end of 2018, from a peak of 782 in 2010. From the reply to my Parliamentary Question in January 2020, I understand that SGX is not tracking the number of local companies that choose to list in other countries. It may be wise for SGX to connect with some of these companies to find out why they choose to list their companies overseas. This would also have implications on Singapore’s ambitions to become a prime financial hub. Next, Mr Speaker, I would like to touch on the issue of sustainable transport. As a person intimately involved in the management of a large fleet of more than 10,000 taxis, sustainable transport is an issue which I am most concerned with. On a yearly basis, ComfortDelGro Taxi replaces more than 1,000 vehicles on average and we are keen to replace them with cleaner vehicles that emit less carbon dioxide. Currently, we are trying to speed up the replacement of diesel taxis with petrol-electric hybrid taxis. Meanwhile, we also have four full electric taxis.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Budget. I would like to, first, declare my interest as the CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi Business. Given the concerns over COVID-19, I am proud that Budget 2020 is the result of quick response, built on a deep understanding of what Singaporeans are feeling and going through. The Budget is one which will help us all to ride through this period of global panic in a calm manner. At this juncture, I would like to thank the frontline staff, especially the healthcare heroes, the Ministry of Health's (MOH’s) team and all involved in fighting the COVID-19 for their sacrifices, dedication and determination. I am also heartened that in preparing Budget 2020, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and his team had spoken to more than 1,000 people, including corporate chiefs, to collect feedback. As someone who is active in both the public and private sectors, the issue of balancing regulations to take care of the interest of the regulators and the companies being regulated, is one which continues to be of concern to many. Following my speech during the 2019 Budget Debate about cutting red tape, I was heartened that there were anecdotal improvements. But apart from extraordinary situations, it is important for the policymakers to consult the stakeholders regularly. Such consultation is a continuous process and a never-ending journey. One area that catches my attention is the Singapore Exchange's (SGX's) competitiveness. Following my Parliamentary Question in January 2020, last month, I am glad that SGX has relaxed the need for quarterly reporting and announced that half-yearly reporting will suffice. This is a good move to reduce compliance costs. However, SGX seems to be losing its shine.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. I just want to ask a few supplementary questions. He mentioned about 3,000, if I can remember correctly, that have opted for the scheme to convert their e-scooters to other PMDs. Can I ask how many of these are for e-bicycles and others? The second supplementary question is about the bicycle lane that he had announced. He has not announced how many more kilometres; he has just announced that it is being accelerated. But what are the planned parameters? Are you going to increase another 100 km by the end of this year or is this something that is not sure as yet?”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. I have three supplementary questions. The first question is that the Senior Minister of State mentioned that 12 retailers were caught for flouting the rules. Of these 12 retailers, how many are physical retailers and how many are online retailers? The second question is: how does LTA or MOT detect those retailers that are flouting the rules? For the physical retailers, it will be easier. But for the online retailers, it may be more difficult. Some of the online retailers may also be reselling their used PMDs which are non-compliant with the UL2272 standard on some of the platforms. The third question is that the Senior Minister of State mentioned that by the end of the year, it will increase the enforcement team to 200 people. What is the current number now?”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. Can I just seek a couple of clarifications? I have done a quick check. It appears that NTU gives out more bursaries and scholarships compared to NUS although NUS has a reserve of $5.9 billion which is more than twice the size of NTU's. And SUTD, although it has the least reserve of the three AUs, has more than half of its undergraduates receiving grants for education opportunities and bursaries and scholarships. So, can MOE clarify whether there is a discrepancy or is there supposed to be a correlation between the number of bursaries and scholarships given by each AU compared to the reserves they have? A second clarification is whether there is a cap that MOE will set for them for the size of endowment fund that the AUs can accumulate over the years?”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for the very comprehensive reply. We note that PayNow is more popular amongst individuals, compared to the corporates and companies, as per the figures given by the Minister. So, would the Minister consider asking the banks to promote PayNow Corporate more before they start changing the charges for cheques? Some local banks now charge 75 cents per cheque right from the first cheque instead of the first 30 cheques for free previously. This could be a bit premature because a lot of companies, like the Minister said, half the companies, are still not using PayNow Corporate.”
“When I read Parts 4 and 5 of the Bill, I discover that MOT seems to be imposing the current regulations governing taxi operators on ride-hail service operators. On the surface, LTA appears to level the playing field. Unfortunately, it is not the case. For example, clause 30(2)(i) stipulates the Quality of Service that taxi operators have to meet. Likewise, clause 30 2(i) also requires ride-hail service operators to meet a set of service standards. When pressed by the operators, LTA appears to have no intention to require the ride-hail service PHC operators to meet the same service standards as the street-hail service taxi operators. Meanwhile, I would like to know whether MOT has the intention of asking PTC to set the maximum and minimum fares for the ride-hail service operators. PHC passengers are often annoyed by the surge pricing. I hope that LTA can do something about this. In addition, I would like to appeal to MOT to spell out clearly what are the regulations that will be implemented in the near future, and what are the clauses in the Bill that are mere provisions to be implemented much later or during an emergency. Otherwise, the Bill may give the impression that it is more form than substance. Taxi drivers have been serving Singaporeans and Singapore for the past 54 years since our Independence. They are unsung heroes. When this Bill becomes an Act, I hope that taxi drivers will continue to survive, continue to serve our nation, and will not be diminished to a mere historical figure. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, the P2P Passenger Transport Industry Bill is an important step to regulate the ride-hail industry which has grown very big. While I support the Bill, I hope MOT can help to address the above irregularities.”
“I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether MOT could consider refusal by debit card users to pay the ride-hail fare because they have insufficient funds in their bank accounts to be considered a form of fare evasion? If so, it will serve as a strong deterrent to those who want to cheat the fare. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, taxi drivers have been troubled by PHCs for many years. The PHCs are, essentially, pirate taxis in disguise when they first entered the market. They are unrestrained and not regulated by LTA. With the growing number of PHCs, LTA is finally introducing this Bill to regulate ride-hailing service operators. It is unwise and risky not to regulate PHCs. This Bill comes late but it is better late than never. I have been a Member of Parliament for more than eight years. Many residents, including taxi drivers, approach me to appeal for waiver of their traffic offences. Residents typically see me to appeal to waive one or two traffic offences. However, it is not uncommon for PHC drivers to see me to appeal for more than 10 traffic offences, a reflection of PHCs' traits in their early days. At the same time, many residents have also told me that PHC drivers often use their fingers to fiddle with global positioning system (GPS) on their phones while driving. In addition, they often make sudden turns in order to follow GPS instructions, endangering themselves, passengers and other road users. I hope that this Bill will allow LTA to have better oversight over PHC's safety and the safety of passengers and other road users. It is also essential for LTA to treat taxi drivers and PHC drivers equally.”
“Thus, it is understandable that clauses 24 to 26 under Part 4 of the Bill allow LTA to exempt a ride-hail operator from applying for a licence, especially if it is an aggregator of a few ride-hail services like what Google is doing. I understand these clauses are meant to encourage innovation and thus the provision of a sandbox regulation. However, I notice that a similar provision for sandbox regulation is not provided under Part 3 of the Bill for street-hail services. Does MOT think that street-hail services cannot innovate? I have a case in hand whereby a startup named "Vouch" would like to refer taxi services provided by existing taxi operators to hotel concierge through a chatbot. Such a service is similar to that provided by Google where it aggregates ride-hail services from a few ride-hail operators and Google is exempted from applying for a ride-hail licence under sandbox regulation. Apparently, the said startup Vouch is required to apply for a third-party taxi licence but not Google. Why the discrepancy? On fare evasion. Clause 59 of the Bill seeks to amend the PTC Act, which spells out an offence of non-payment of ride-hail or street-hail fare under section 24D of the PTC Act. This is timely. Many passengers choose to pay the ride-hail fare by cashless mode, especially by way of credit or debit card. Unfortunately, many debit card users attempt to pay the ride-hail fare even though there is insufficient fund in their bank accounts. They get away with non-payment of the ride-hail fares as banks can only verify their bank balances after they have left the vehicles. Attempts by the ride-hail operators to recover the fare often drew a blank.”
“There is a historical reason why taxi drivers need to be 30 and above. I suppose the same logic applies to PHC drivers unless MOT thinks that the PHC drivers are a totally different category as compared to taxi drivers. The collection of data. We note that under clause 30, LTA is empowered to issue one or more codes of practice to street-hail and ride-hail operators. Currently, taxi companies – or in the future, renamed as street-hail operators – have to provide trip data to LTA in real time. I would like to ask if LTA intends to require ride-hail companies to also provide real-time trip data to LTA. If so, the real-time trip data would enable LTA to better analyse the overall travel pattern of all passengers using P2P transport providers. Such real-time data can also assist LTA and users of P2P services in the following ways. One, when a passenger loses an item in a bookable vehicle, as defined in clause 4 of the Bill, LTA can help to locate the lost item in the PHC or taxi in real time. This piece of work is best undertaken by LTA, as a bookable vehicle is able to take booking jobs from different ride-hailing platforms and different operators within a single day or even within a single hour. Two, LTA can better identify the appropriate ride-hail operator when the driver has committed an offence or met with an accident. On the sandbox regulation, under clause 5b, it is stated that one of the purposes of the Bill is to enable development and operation of innovative and accessible P2P passenger transport services which contribute to the mobility and safety of people in Singapore.”
“On the regulation of fare, Mr Speaker, Sir, earlier this year, Indonesia announced that it would regulate ride-hail fare, with a maximum and minimum fare. Interestingly, clause 59 of the current Bill, Part 5 of the Public Transport Council Act, is amended to allow PTC to impose a ride-hail fare pricing policy that, amongst other things, fixes the components of ride-hail fares, specifying the factor or factors to be applied, which is more commonly referred to as surge pricing, and fixes a maximum or minimum price or price range. Very often, ride-hail passengers are irritated by surge pricing where the fare can surge by 100%, 200% or more whenever there is a shortage of vehicles or there is a sudden surge of demand. Thus, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether the P2P Bill that proposes to impose a ride-hail fare pricing policy is a signal that the authority is ready to regulate ride-hail fare or is it a mere provision to regulate the ride-hail fare in the future that is far, far away. On the qualification of drivers, both taxi and PHC drivers send passengers from point A to point B. Yet, it is easier to be a PHC driver than a taxi driver. Why? Does MOT have the intention to enlarge the supply of PHC drivers and shrink the supply of taxi drivers? Let me illustrate why it is easier to become a PHC driver. First, PHC drivers can be as young as 21 years old while the minimum age to qualify as a taxi driver is 30. PHC drivers only need to pass a one-day course, but taxi drivers need to pass a two-day course. PHC drivers can be either a Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR), although PR needs to work as a chauffeured-service driver. On the other hand, a taxi driver must be a Singaporean and no PR is allowed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to declare my interest as I am the Chief Executive Officer of the ComfortDelGro taxi business. Six years after the first ride-hailing company entered Singapore, MOT has finally decided to regulate the ride-hailing sector more comprehensively. It is late but it is better to be late than never. One taxi company, SMART Taxi, exited the market in 2013, the same year Grab entered Singapore to grab a share of the P2P market. China started to regulate the PHC sector comprehensively in 2016, almost three years earlier than us. In the same year, 2016, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development also published a paper on the regulation pertaining to the for-hire passenger transport. China's regulations have stipulated clearly that they would like to have the co-existence of taxis and PHCs. In London, licensed taxis decreased by a mere 1,000 from 2013 to 2017, while PHCs increased from 50,000 to 87,000, a 74% increase. In Singapore, the total taxi fleet has decreased from the height of 28,000 to 19,000 as of last month, while the PHC fleet has increased from almost zero to 50,000, so maybe 50,000 times. When we compare Singapore's situation with that of China and London, the contrast is significant. Thus, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State if MOT has a view on the right mix of the number of registered taxis and PHCs, or is MOT happy to allow market forces to determine the equilibrium mix of taxis and PHCs? In determining the policy intention and direction, I would like to point out that there is a severe market imperfection in the P2P passenger transportation industry. This is one of the reasons why CCCS is still not removing the restrictions on the large ride-hail company.”
“Mr Speaker, may I follow up with a question on the drone intrusions? Do we have reason to believe that the recent intrusion at Changi Airport is done by foreigners, whether through foreign control, because we have noted that in the vandalism case on a Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) train at Bishan depot, the intruders were all foreigners?”
“First, I want to thank NEA for allowing Jurong students and parents to visit the Wolbachia production facility in Jurong. It was very well-received and we were very encouraged by the project. I have two questions to ask the Senior Minister of State. First, since the production facility is in Jurong, is there any plan to extend the Wolbachia project in Jurong as well because there are also dengue clusters? Two, is there a plan to expand the Wolbachia production facility?”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. I have three supplementary questions. Firstly, is IMDA thinking of providing the basic infrastructure for the 5G network or is the Minister leaving it to the telecommunications companies (telcos) to install their own 5G network? Secondly, has the Government mandated any 5G vendor to be involved or not to be involved in the building of 5G network in Singapore? The question is being asked in the light of the United States (US) pressurising allies not to use certain 5G vendors in their respective countries. Thirdly, is the Government prepared to bring more telcos into Singapore in tandem with the 5G network, or does the Minister feel that it is already optimal in terms of the number of telcos in Singapore?”