Baey Yam Keng
Singapore
“Our next generation will have far greater opportunities to make their mark here. The Government will also guide them into the transport sector through scholarships, training and career development pathways, so that they can put their talents to good use and contribute to society.”
“I would say that the greening of bus stop roofs may not be something that is practical across all bus stops. I do not have the exact figures, but I am sure we must have tens of thousands of bus stops in Singapore. So, there is a cost element.”
“Based on earlier trials conducted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), fans have a limited impact on the ambient temperature in an exposed bus stop environment. Commuter feedback from the trials was also unfavourable. Most bus stops are also shaded by surrounding buildings and trees, reducing the effectiveness of solar installations.”
“Certainly. Members would remember that over the years and decades, our bus stop designs have evolved. We have to take into consideration various factors, not just the comfort of commuters who are waiting there but also the practicality of sighting of buses coming ahead as well as maintenance, safety and different factors like that.”
“I thank Ms Gho for her concern for the arts and the artists. Indeed, it is part of our commitment to provide affordable, accessible spaces for artists and arts groups. We have announced last year that we are doing a study on how the arts spaces provision can be better improved and the study is ongoing.”
“Speaker, the median and maximum waiting time for pedestrians at signalised junctions are 120 seconds and 140 seconds respectively. Wait times for pedestrians depend on the nature of road, junction size and configuration, as well as prevailing traffic volume.”
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“In my earlier response, what NAC and NHB have full control or better control over are the artists that we contract directly. As for those who are through intermediaries or event organisers, we will definitely influence and encourage them to adopt such standards. Ultimately, we want our freelancers – they are all very hardworking, talented people – we would want them to have meaningful careers but also, at the same time, financially viable careers. So, this is a first step we are doing. We hope to lead by example. And we hope that the society at large, all users, procurers of artistic talent and works, will also respect the freelancers' way of business as part of the overall gig economy that Singapore is experiencing together with the world. So, that is something we will work on. I would like Mr Kok Heng Leun to repeat his question on the mid-career artists.”
“Mr Ganesh Rajaram would be familiar with how the sports fraternity works. It is pretty much driven by the respective NSAs. So, in this case, the FAS has its own constitution and management and a new team in place. SportSG will have to work with the new team on the new directions, the new focus they have. And through our funding on specific programmes, like for example, in fitness, in the development of youths, that is where we will work closely with them. We are supportive of their focus on the youths because that is also where the focus is for our regional games, like the SEA Games and Asian Games, where the focus is on the under 22 years old or 23 years old. We believe that will also translate well for the development of Singapore's football in the long term because that will help us create a very strong pipeline of talent for the senior team. Of course, hopefully, our ranking in FIFA will rise, but that is something that we know will take time, But we will work closely with and also scrutinise FAS closely, based on its funding received, to make sure that the KPIs are met.”
“Sir, I would like to respond to Mr Kok Heng Leun's question on the Stamford Arts Centre or the Traditional Arts Centre. This centre is scheduled to open this year and we look forward to it bringing rich performing traditions closer to the community and we look forward also to the arts groups based there to be better connected and engaged with the local community and the larger community as it promotes a greater appreciation of traditional arts. On the question of maintenance of public art works, what we are doing now is to come up with a list and approaching different landowners to offer their sites for public art works to be created and displayed. These are not meant to be on a permanent basis as permanent art works will require a different set of requirements to maintain and upkeep. Even though on a temporary basis, we also expect that the art works should be kept in good condition during the duration so that the public can enjoy them and appreciate the talent of our local artists. This will be a process that we look forward to working together with the artists as well as the venue owners so that we can all learn from the process of creating exciting art works that would excite local audiences. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Kok Heng Leun talked about songs included in Hear65. Indeed, music on this platform should not only showcase commercial or pop music, but also artistic music which is not so familiar to the public. Through this platform, we hope that Singaporeans can better appreciate the diversity of our local artists and musicians, therefore, further supporting our local music production.”
“I thank Mr Ang Hin Kee for his questions. Regarding the need for mediation when disputes arise, so far, the NAC has not received many of such requests. We hope that with the establishment of the National Resource Centre for freelancers, it could perhaps play a role, and I hope that we can also count on the other national bodies, for example, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, to resolve such issues. As to whether NAC or NHB will also require its vendors or contractors to adopt the same model when they deal with freelancers, as our institutions do not have a direct contract with these freelancers as mentioned, we probably will not be able to do so. But we definitely will encourage our vendors to respect freelancers and to also adopt the measures that we have.”
“We look forward to improvements in the standard of Singapore football and the performance of our National Teams. The new S League season kicks off at the National Stadium on 31 March and we wish them all the best. Mr Chairman, just as teamwork is crucial in sports, it is only by working hand in hand that we can realise our shared goals for Singapore, be it in the arts, youth or sports sectors. Together, we can be confident of making Singapore our home where we can all lead fulfilling lives and pursue our dreams.”
“Now, Singaporeans can directly contribute to the HPS system by pledging support to this Fund. In just a few months, over $1.5 million has been raised for OTSF so far. The Government is providing one-for-one matching of up to $50 million for these donations over five years. We look forward to more donations to OTSF, as efforts to increase awareness of the Fund ramp up this year. Importantly, the Fund also provides impetus for NSAs and Team Singapore athletes to deepen their engagement with their respective fraternities, as well as the wider community. Mr Ganesh Rajaram and Mr Faisal Manap asked about developments in local football. To raise the standard of play amongst our National Teams, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has announced a revamp of the S League to address four key areas – youth development, capability development, cost efficiency, and building a vibrant football culture. Specifically, FAS has updated S League match rules to provide younger players with more match exposure. It has taken steps to raise player professionalism, such as cracking down on smoking and placing more emphasis on fitness. FAS is also working on raising coaching standards. On SportSG's end, the ActiveSG Football Academy is collaborating with FAS to build the youth development system. As with other NSAs, SportSG will work in partnership with FAS to review its strategic plans for football annually against the funding it receives, to ensure the continued development of Singapore football and the revamped S League. We note that the football fraternity has responded positively to the plan of FAS. We expect the FAS leadership to continue engaging and working closely with clubs, stakeholders and fans or, as Mr Manap says, current and ex-footballers.”
“With the help of conditioning coaches, physiotherapists and performance analysts from the National Youth Sports Institute, she made a swift and full recovery in time for the 2017 SEA Games. She went on to win Gold in the Sabre event. This is just one of many inspiring stories of our athletes. We wish them the very best as they continue to train hard and do Singapore proud on the world stage. Mr Darryl David asked how we are helping our Team Singapore athletes achieve even greater success. The Government is committed to supporting our athletes' aspirations and will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that with our High Performance Sports (HPS) system, our athletes can achieve their best. We are working with various NSAs to be more professional in organisational governance and technical expertise. We will also continue to enhance areas, such as talent identification and development, coach development through CoachSG, sports science and medicine capability and athlete support systems, in terms of carding, support for Major Games' preparations, scholarships as well as career and education opportunities. Following a review of past competitions, we will be introducing customised support for selected Team Singapore athletes in the lead up to major games over a rolling two-year period. It will begin with $2 million set aside this year to cover the upcoming Asian Games and Asian Para Games. This is over and above the existing funding for NSAs, carded athletes and spexScholars. This will give Games-bound athletes greater assurance and encourage more to train fulltime, as they strive for success at these competitions. To supplement the Government's efforts in improving our HPS system, the One Team Singapore Fund (OTSF) was launched in October last year.”
“This "awkwardness" soon melted away as the two worked with team members to conquer kayaking expeditions and challenging ropes courses. They remain in touch with their new friends, and I am told that a group of them even met up over the recent Chinese New Year period. Over the course of 2017, the MOE-OBS Challenge Programme brought together 6,000 youths like Andre and Syarafina from different schools to work together and overcome challenges in the outdoors. The outcomes from the inaugural programme have been positive thus far, with our youths becoming more confident, resilient and making new friends. Over 80% of students surveyed are also keen to attend another OBS course. About 90% reported better appreciation of diversity and being better at working with peers from different backgrounds. We will continue to gather feedback from future participants and refine the programme. Alongside the vibrant arts and youth sectors, our people can be proud of a thriving sporting scene. Our athletes have worked hard in making Singapore a proud sporting nation. Team Singapore broke new grounds in 2017, with excellent results at the 29th SEA Games and 9th ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur. Both contingents put in historic away Games performances, bringing home a remarkable 188 and 50 medals respectively. Our young Team Singapore athletes also won a record 18 medals at the 2017 Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai. Our athletes bring the nation together and exemplify the Singapore Spirit – a "can-do" attitude, the relentless pursuit of excellence and the determination to overcome all challenges. Fencer Lau Ywen is one such example. In early 2017, she sustained three hairline cracks in her lower back, putting her out of action for several months. But she did not let this setback get her down.”
“I encourage our youths to showcase their talents, represent Singapore on the regional stage, and build new friendships with our ASEAN neighbours. Third, we will introduce the ASEAN Youth Fellowship programme, an annual platform for young leaders across 3P sectors in ASEAN to interact with and better understand one another, creating a closer-knit ASEAN community. These ASEAN Youth Fellows will be spending a week together in Singapore in the second half of this year, discussing key issues and opportunities in respective home countries as well as the greater ASEAN region. Youths of Singapore will also have the opportunity to interact with this next generation of leaders. Beyond our chairmanship this year, we hope to build a network of ASEAN young leaders to take the ASEAN community forward as a strong and united body. In addition to ASEAN youth initiatives, MCCY is nurturing our youths to be more confident and resilient. Mr Melvin Yong asked for an update on the progress of the MOE-OBS mixed school cohort camps. While the design and development of OBS@Coney is underway, MOE and MCCY started phasing in students for the MOE-OBS Challenge Programme in 2017. Each week, Secondary 3 students from different schools are given the opportunity to team up into expedition groups and interact with peers from different backgrounds. Last month, I met with two such participants – Nur Syarafina from Edgefield Secondary School and Andre Loh from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). Both of them were, at first, intimidated by the challenging tasks at OBS, as well as the initial "awkwardness" of working together with peers from other schools and different backgrounds.”
“For our chairmanship, MCCY will launch three initiatives to empower, engage and nurture the many diverse groups of youths in ASEAN. First, we will renew the Singapore-ASEAN Youth Fund. The Fund supports ground-up initiatives by ASEAN youths in areas, such as leadership development, community service and entrepreneurship. Since the establishment of the Fund in 2007, we have supported many meaningful and sustainable projects which have benefited over 22,000 ASEAN youths. Second, we will host an ASEAN eSports tournament this year, encompassing a regional League of Legends tournament. As a highly popular and trending activity among youths, eSports has tremendous potential as an innovative means of engagement to connect ASEAN youths through shared experiences of competition, sportsmanship and fun. Take the example of Amos Ker, a professional gamer playing Vainglory, a Massive Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA). Amos has bagged numerous regional awards and even competed internationally at Hollywood. Through the various tournaments, Amos has made many friends from different countries and acquired a confidence to lead and share his experience with aspiring competitive gamers. Today, Amos is the captain of Team Impunity, a local eSports team. He is also pursuing a Diploma in Game Development, under scholarship at the Informatics Academy. The ASEAN eSports tournament will be the first of its kind in the region. It will be part of a larger celebration of our vibrant ASEAN youths during the first weekend of August at the Singapore Sports Hub, bringing together the SHINE Festival for Youths and GetActive! Singapore. Our youths at home can look forward to a diverse array of opportunities and performances in eSports, live music, dance and sports.”
“Singaporeans will have the opportunity to view it when TheatreWorks presents it from April. It is a culmination of Zai's ongoing body of work over the years to investigate Malay history and culture, and Singapore’s relationship with the larger Riau Archipelago. We are proud of how our Singapore stories are travelling around the world and remain committed to supporting our artists in such pursuits. Mr Chairman, youth is another key focus for our ASEAN Chairmanship. By 2020, almost half of ASEAN's population will be under 30 years old. This underscores the importance of empowering our youths to appreciate and realise the potential of ASEAN's youthful demographic in driving the region's future. Today, MCCY, MOE and our economic agencies provide opportunities for our youths to build a greater appreciation of ASEAN. For example, the National Youth Council hosts bilateral youth leaders' exchange programmes with Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. MOE provides our students opportunities through exchange and immersion programmes, cultural exchanges like the annual Singapore Youth Festival and through sports like the annual ASEAN Schools Games. International Enterprise (IE) Singapore runs the Young Talent Programme, an initiative for youths to have international immersion experiences to better prepare them for global careers in future. The programme has supported Singaporeans to take on overseas internships and hybrid work-and-study programmes. Since last year, this programme has focused on fast-growing Asian markets, including Southeast Asia. So, I urge our youths to take up these opportunities in the region, as we work with MOE and economic agencies to ensure even greater access to these regional opportunities.”
“Through the Cultural Matching Fund and NAC’s efforts to raise fundraising capabilities in the arts sector, we seek to tap multiple sources of support for arts groups and artists. The ability to raise and manage funding is a critical aspect of sustainable arts groups, regardless of size. We also agree that our major institutions play an important role and provide a variety of platforms for artists, including those engaged in more experimental work. We hope that our artists will carry on working in close collaboration with our institutions. Ms Sun Xueling, Mr Kok Heng Leun and Mr Henry Kwek all spoke on ASEAN. Our chairmanship of ASEAN this year is an opportunity for us to deepen our appreciation of ASEAN’s rich cultural diversity. We will roll out a series of initiatives to showcase the arts and heritage of our ASEAN neighbours. For example, the Asian Civilisations Museum has designated 2018 as the “Year of Southeast Asia” and will feature programmes and exhibitions in line with the theme. Singapore will also host residencies for artists around the region, just as our neighbours will host ours. We will also celebrate the close cultural ties with two ASEAN partners – Malaysia and Indonesia – through bilateral cultural showcases. These initiatives complement ongoing efforts to support Singapore artists' development through participation in regional and international festivals, trade fairs, biennales and overseas training programmes. 2.00 pm One example of this support is the return exhibition of local artist Zai Kuning's work "Dapunta Hyang: Transmission of Knowledge". We were able to preview this piece as a work-in-progress before it represented Singapore at last year's Venice Biennale.”
“Independent artists raised a wish list for better access to resources, training and networking. We will, therefore, set up a national resource centre, in both physical and digital forms, dedicated to supporting the needs of arts freelancers. The centre will conduct training programmes, as well as provide resources and services on individual rights and responsibilities, career development and finance. Mr Kok Heng Leun spoke about how arts education should involve creative interventions to address societal issues. I agree that the arts have the potential to do so. We have, therefore, piloted structured student visits to our arts and heritage institutions over the last two years. Starting this year, museum-based learning is recommended as a core learning experience in the revised primary art syllabus. We will continue to work closely with MOE to help our young develop a stronger appreciation of our history, and our national identity, through the arts and culture. By focusing on positive and enjoyable experiences for our children, we can also develop appreciation for the arts across a lifetime and help us to continue cultivating new artists, audiences and arts champions. On top of our work with students, we have refined our funding support from 2017 to include the promotion of arts accessibility, development of new audiences and building appreciation for the arts across communities. We recognise that these areas may not be an area of priority for all artists and arts groups but will continue to encourage and support those keen to focus on them. I agree with Mr Kok Heng Leun that there is a need for sustainability of the arts sector.”
“Beyond this, we have freed up more sites for artists to create public art in our neighbourhoods. To date, more than 30 sites have been secured, including spaces in town centres and sports centres in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bukit Panjang, Clementi and Woodlands. This initial list of sites will be released in the middle of this year. I encourage interested venue owners to get in touch with NAC if you have suitable spaces that can be included. Likewise, we encourage artists to consider these sites and submit proposals through the Public Art Trust website. We will also launch public art trails and guided tours beyond the Civic District and Central Business District. For example, we will have more public art programmes as part of the Arts in Your Neighbourhood series. The March edition is currently taking place in Ang Mo Kio featuring performing arts activities and four new public artworks, on top of its existing visual arts programme. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about Government support for freelancers. In our 2016 Arts and Culture Employment Survey, nearly half of the respondents indicated that they work primarily on a freelance basis. We agree that more can be done to enhance professional support for independent artists, to help our freelance artists grow meaningful careers. In 2017, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and NAC consulted freelancers and key employers to gather their feedback. We have developed a Support Framework that fosters fair and progressive employment conditions and meets our freelancers’ professional development needs. NAC and the National Heritage Board (NHB) will be early adopters of MOM’s Tripartite Standard for Contracting Self-Employed Persons. We will also encourage arts groups and institutions within the wider culture sector to implement these measures.”
“There will be local classics from my parents’ generation, like songs by Huang Qing Yuan and Poon Sow Keng. Also, there will be familiar songs from Liang Wern Fook and Kit Chan for Singaporeans around my age. Younger audiences will be able to listen to famous pop songs from Tanya Chua, Stephanie Sun and JJ Lin. With access to musical works from more than 350 local musicians, we hope more Singaporeans will follow our local music and continue to develop our Singapore music scene. (In English): Music is an integral part of Singaporeans’ lives. Hear65, a national music movement that will be launched next month in collaboration with local music media company Bandwagon, will profile homegrown music talents to Singapore and international audiences. Users can look forward to an online, interactive platform that showcases music performed by local artists, such as The Quests, Anita Sarawak, Taufik Batisah, Vanessa Fernandez, Shabir Alam and Gentle Bones. Hear65 will offer access to music on streaming platforms and crowdsourced reviews of the featured content. Hear65 will also partner private and public stakeholders, such as the Esplanade, to create more buzz around Singapore music. In the area of Visual Art, we would like the public to enjoy our artists’ work as part of daily life. Using artworks to enliven our urban landscape is one approach, as Dr Lim Wee Kiak has pointed out. For SG50, we commissioned three public artworks in the Civic District under the Public Art Trust. In commemoration of Singapore’s Bicentennial next year, two new signature public artworks will also be commissioned in community spaces. We will continue to commission one signature public artwork per year thereafter under the Trust.”
“We are reviewing our plans in the literary, performing and visual arts this year to outline the strategies for each art form as we head towards 2025. We have already started engaging the arts community, including Mr Kok Heng Leun, on the broad direction of these plans. We will continue to grow opportunities in audience development, community arts, arts education, capability development, internationalisation, as well as research and documentation. Further details will be shared by the end of this year. In the meantime, we have already started to work on a few areas. Our efforts in the literary arts scene have resulted in a strong talent base, especially in English, and more platforms for our writers to reach their readers. However, there remains much room for us to promote the Chinese, Malay and Tamil literary arts. I will now speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We will be giving all primary and secondary schools a set of SingLit books. These literary works are written in our four official languages. Our primary and secondary school students will be able to read local literary works from local writers like Francis Wong, Huang Shu Jun and Ai Yu. We hope that the early exposure to SingLit will allow them to develop a sustained interest in local literary works. These local stories will also serve as a shared experience as they grow up. We will be using digital technology to grow support for local arts, including Singapore music. NAC will be launching a new platform next month to promote local music, Hear65. This digital platform will allow the public to listen to Singapore music from different genres, languages and decades. Hear65 will, therefore, be a platform that appeals to both the young and old.”
“The Minister and Senior Minister of State highlighted the role of MCCY in bringing our nation together and partnering our citizens to make Singapore a better home, and a caring and inclusive society. Looking forward, we aim to build a buoyant Singapore, a nation that is confident in our future. Through our work in the arts and sports sectors, and our continued investment in our youths, our people can be confident that this is a place we can lead fulfilling lives and pursue our dreams. Mr Kok Heng Leun suggested that we review our achievements under the Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR). Launched in 2010, the ACSR builds on the foundations laid by the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts and the Renaissance City Plans. Its 2025 vision is for Singapore to be a nation of cultured and gracious people, at home with our heritage, proud of our Singaporean identity by (a) bringing arts and culture to everyone, everywhere, every day; and (b) building capabilities to achieve excellence. Since the ACSR recommendations were released in 2012, we have introduced a range of initiatives to increase accessibility to arts and culture and invested in excellence. The arts scene is more vibrant today, with more Singaporeans recognising the value of the arts to the individual, community and our larger Singapore society, and more agreeing that the arts help to improve our lives. We believe our efforts have borne fruit and thank Mr Kok Heng Leun for his suggestion. We will review and share how far we have come under the ACSR and the areas for improvement at its midway point. Mr Kok Heng Leun and Dr Lim Wee Kiak also asked about our strategies and plans to further develop the arts sector. Indeed, there is more we can do.”
“Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will display some slides.”
“Mr Chairman, when the Prime Minister spoke about the War on Diabetes during his National Day Rally last year, there were some questions why this topic warranted such a high level of attention. As the saying goes, "health is wealth". It does not matter how much money one makes or receives in the SG Bonus. Without good health, it is useless having lots of money. Wealth cannot always buy good health. That is why, during Chinese New Year, I always wish my residents and friends good health, "身体健康" and people always respond that that is the best and most important blessing they desire. However, I am glad to note that people do not just wish for good health blessings. Many have taken heed of the call to fight and prevent diabetes. People are mindful of what they eat. There are now healthier food options available at buffet spreads and I have seen many taking the effort to exercise more regularly, with quite a few looking reasonably slimmer, fitter and better. Diabetes is a chronic disease. It is a lifelong condition and takes a dedicated effort to keep it under control. The beautiful part of it is that regular exercise and controlled diet can also help fight other chronic conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. I would like to ask MOH for an update on the War on Diabetes. What are the challenges faced and what is the plan to sustain awareness and translation into action over the long term?”
“The Town Council staff are very much on the ground and able to supervise the work of the contractors. In fact, we are also leveraging technology to help with monitoring. So, if we look at the public areas the DPC focuses on, they include roads, pavements, backlanes, walkways, footpaths, footbridges, overhead bridges, drains, waterways, vacant state lands, community parks and park connectors. I do not expect the NEA officers to be able to check all these areas. Some of these areas are also very isolated or longish narrow strips of land that adjoin public housing estates which I feel there is potential for the Town Council to help with the cleaning and supervision duty. While ownership and accountability run hand-in-hand, I wonder if we could just look at streamlining the deployment of cleaning resources in areas with a huge continuous expanse of public housing, for example, like Tampines. The daily removal of litter, which is done by DPC, could be outsourced to the Town Council, which already takes care of most parts of the HDB estate. Maintenance and repair of defects could still be handled by the respective agencies which own the land. Obviously, there will be operational details like contracting, budget and public liability that need to be looked into, but I believe these could be sorted out among the different agencies. I hope MSO could explore how the actual execution and delivery of municipal services can be better coordinated at the whole-of-Government level, including Town Councils, so as to deliver services efficiently for our residents.”
“Chairman, with the formation of NEA's Department of Public Cleanliness (DPC) in 2012, it subsumes the cleaning of public areas previously under the charge of various Government agencies. This is a great step towards better efficiency of municipal services. However, the cleanliness of public housing estates still remains with Town Councils. I would like to ask the Municipal Services Office whether there is scope for better integration between the work of DPC and Town Councils. Singapore already has more cleaners than a typical cohort of National Servicemen – 56,000 of them, really an army of cleaners. This is not sustainable, given the future outlook of an ageing population and the need to cut down reliance on foreign workers. Last year, the Tampines Town Council reduced the corridor washing frequency from monthly to once every two months. Besides saving water, this frees up the cleaners to undertake more essential conservancy duties. In fact, as corridors are mostly just used by residents themselves, they are unlikely to be very dirty if residents play their part by keeping their own surroundings clean. So, I am appreciative of Tampines residents accepting this new arrangement and doing their part. Besides public cooperation, we need to think about how we can better organise the work that needs to be done. So, speaking as Tampines Town Council Chairman, my experience tells me that most people cannot differentiate among the responsibilities of the different Government agencies. Unfortunately, the first finger that they point at will always be the Town Council. I am not saying that the other agencies are not doing their work. The fact is that various agencies are structured differently and we can do better by working together.”
“Chairman, I visited the Community Rehabilitation Centre (CRC) recently. It is a community-based drug rehabilitation centre run by Trybe, a youth sector organisation. It houses male first-time drug abusers between the ages of 16 and 21. During the visit, I also learnt of the changing profile of drug abusers and drugs used in Singapore over the years. At CRC, the approach taken is to immerse residents in a relationship-driven, transformational environment to lead a purposeful and drug-free life. I am glad to know that we are taking a differentiated approach to help different drug abusers. Rehabilitation is one of the three key components in tackling the drug problems here, the other two being education and deterrence. Other countries are increasingly taking a soft stance towards drugs, and liberal attitudes are seeping into our youths through social media and other channels. One of the residents at CRC shared that he was first introduced to drugs by the beach while on holiday. It is becoming more important that we set out our own narrative to counter inaccurate perceptions, to explain our approach and to show its effectiveness. I would like to ask MHA for an update on its response to drug challenges and how to maintain public support for our tough stance on drugs. Drugs in our Society”
“Moving ahead, our falling birth rate will pose a significant challenge. Our NS enrolment will decrease by 30% by 2030. This may mark a timing for decision to utilise more technology, unmanned systems and so on. The future of warfare may be in the cyber domain. The technological disruption will not spare the area of defence. Data analytics will become extremely crucial. Do we have personnel who are highly trained in these areas and can they train others? How are we preparing our young recruits for this? What about psychological preparedness and resilience development? These are also important. Finally, can the Minister also share with us on the Centre of Excellence for Soldier Performance (CESP) – what it does and how the curriculum is adapted to meet our needs? Family Engagement and Resilience”
“Mr Chairman, the world today is characterised by the rise of the Internet and globalisation. Our youths will grow up and mature in an environment that will grant them access to an immense variety of views and experiences. While this opens up many opportunities for education and a deeper appreciation for diversity, it will also likely reshape their sense of identity in new ways. In particular, their understanding of what it means to be “Singaporean” will no longer be strongly defined only by an understanding of Singapore’s history, culture and our vulnerabilities. However, Singaporeans’ commitment towards defending our country rests on whether we possess a good understanding of our vulnerabilities and an ingrained conviction of the importance of what we are defending. While it is important to instill this understanding in our youths from a young age, growing global interconnectivity and the ensuing potential dilution of the “Singapore Identity” will continue to pose a strong challenge to our efforts. I note that MINDEF has used many innovative and interesting ways to engage the public of different age groups on Total Defence, for example, N.E.mation! video competition, "Guardians of the City" strategy card game, Total Defence (TD) Badge Programme, TD Puzzle, colouring activity and documentary-drama series "It Will Never Happen Here". How has MINDEF’s experience been these years and how could MINDEF reach out better to youths today to deepen their understanding of Total Defence and encourage them to play their part? The Future SAF Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef: Sir, our SAF has come a long way. It has moved on from just being a defence imperative to being a cultural institution, which is a part of Singapore's national identity.”
“The Vocational Interest Initiative allows enlistees’ interests to be taken into consideration when determining the NS vocation that they are suitable to be deployed to. This aims to offer a more positive, fulfilling and meaningful NS experience for our servicemen. At the same time, it encourages our NSmen to take greater ownership of their roles, responsibilities and contributions in ensuring Singapore's safety and security. I checked out the Central Manpower Base (CMPB) website and found that the videos and handbook on the 33 NS vocations in SAF, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) very useful. This will provide greater insights for our young pre-enlistees to make more informed choices. I note that the final posting results will look at factors, such as physical fitness, suitability to perform tasks and operational requirements, besides the interests of the new enlistees. This is rightfully so. I would like to ask MINDEF to elaborate on the rationale for this initiative, and if there are other changes to how SAF deploys its NSmen. Since the launch of the initiative last November, I believe there have been two or three cohorts being enlisted, and one having completed their Basic Military Training (BMT). Can MINDEF share any early findings of this initiative? How have the interests been matched, and the response of the enlistees? Cyber NSF Scheme”
“Singapore is a small country located in Southeast Asia, one of the most diverse regions in the world. Maintaining strong political, economic and people-to-people ties with other countries in our region is essential. Working together allows us to leverage our collective strength as a region of over 600 million people with a combined GDP of over US$2 trillion. This would create opportunities for our people. With the rise of China projected to become the world’s largest economy by 2032, it is understandable that the developments there have occupied most of our attention. But as the Chinese saying goes, 远亲不如近邻, while the majority of Singaporean forefathers came from China, it is equally, if not more important, for Singapore to build and maintain strong relations with the countries in our immediate Southeast Asian region. Among the ASEAN members, given the proximity in terms of geography, language and culture, there is natural familiarity of Singapore and Singaporeans with our immediate neighbours: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. However, let us also not forget or neglect our other neighbours. Mr Chairman, I have observed first-hand, as part of the Prime Minister's delegation to Vietnam in March 2017, and then-Speaker Mdm Halimah Yacob's delegation to Laos in September 2014, how we build upon our multifaceted ties and complementarities to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation. In this context, I would like an update from MFA on Singapore’s engagement of our fellow ASEAN countries, in particular, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Resources for MFA”
“I think for any political party, the party would be still accountable and responsible for decisions made in the past. The government of the day would need to decide on how money is used. Such that the works do not undermine the authority of public institutions under the government which is formed by the ruling party, which sets its policies for the government to operate.”
“As a disburser of public funds, the Government does not allow the funds to be used to advance the agenda of any political party. So, is the Member alluding to current political parties or to parties no longer in existence?”
“The number of projects that were declined funding or withdrawn funding based on this ruling are very, very few. In fact, very small numbers, compared to the thousands that we fund every year. Currently, I do not have the exact details at hand, but I would say, this year, except for those in the public domain, Sonny Liew's Art of Charlie Chan as well as Jeremy Tiang's novel, there are no such cases.”
“The NAC or any funding organisation will always have a conversation with the applicant. In the case where there are some concerns over its content or the nature of the proposal, sometimes, it is about clarifications, about sharing the concerns, and the artist or applicant is always encouraged to respond accordingly and, if necessary, to make adjustments to the proposal, if the artist so desires. It is a continued exchange of views and there is a process where the applicant can appeal against the decision but NAC retains the final say on whether funding will be continued, withdrawn or the decision could be changed. Was there a second part to the question?”
“The views of the public are very diverse. Based on our conversations not only with the arts groups, but also beyond the MCCY family, there are also considerations of the Government at large, on the role of Government and how public funds should be used to promote the various sectors to grow. In the case of the arts, artistic development is certainly of importance to us, but, at the same time, we also see the arts as a way to engage the community to build a stronger sense of national identity.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his questions. As mentioned earlier in Parliament, the NAC does not fund activities that undermine public institutions, political parties or figures, regardless of political affiliation. NAC takes the position that the arts should not be used for partisan politics and that confidence in public institutions is fundamental to the future of Singapore. So, this remains relevant today. We respect the views of artists and members of the arts community on this. But as a public institution, we also need to take into account the views and concerns of the public at large beyond the arts community. This is a balance that we are striking and the position would, of course, need to evolve with the changes and needs of society, what the public can accept or not. The conversation remains open and that is why we are constantly also reviewing our guidelines. Currently, we will continue to review guidelines and engage artists in dialogue in order to understand their concerns and also to articulate the positions or the thinking of the Government. This reflects the shared ownership as well as responsibility in enlarging the space for our arts to flourish.”
“On Stamford Arts Centre, we totally agree that any displacement of artists and arts groups is considered very painful, especially some arts groups that have been there for many years. NAC would learn from this experience because there could be other opportunities or other arts venues that require redesign or redevelopment. We definitely want to prevent such anxiety on the artist/arts group and we will seek to do better. On the Culture Academy, the Academy regularly invites practitioners and experts from overseas to share their experiences so that our cultural professionals can learn from the best practitioners out there. Part of that curriculum also include that kind of conversations and to learn from other places which are more advanced in terms of different stakeholder engagements in making decisions on development or in other areas.”
“The plan must address areas, such as youth and coach development, community outreach and participation, and football excellence. We look forward to discussing with the new leadership its future plans for Singapore football and how FAS' plans align with SportSG's Vision 2030. Mr Ganesh's point about the importance of strong and competent leadership applies not only to FAS but to all NSAs. Our NSAs need leaders who can unite their fraternities around a sound strategic plan for the development of their sport. They must build organisational capabilities that ensure robust governance and effective execution of the strategic plans. They have to invest in and develop professional coaches and officials to help enthusiasts and athletes raise the game. Finally, they need to build a sustainable ecosystem for the sport. With strong leadership, good governance, effective management and sound technical capabilities, the sport as a whole can then develop and grow to its full potential.”
“These should include major international events, as well as those that the community can participate in. On the issue of event hiring cost, the operator, SHPL, has indicated that it will seek to keep third-party costs for events at the Sports Hub in check. We have communicated to SHPL that they should have transparent and defensible pricing policies that make them attractive as a venue to event organisers. The Minister earlier shared that we will be enhancing our HPS system. I would like to reassure Mr Ang Wei Neng and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah that we continue to provide significant funding support for our NSAs. The Government currently provides about $45 million annually in funding to NSAs, which marks a slight increase over the previous years. While SportSG's funding helps NSAs to defray part of their operational costs, NSAs are primarily run, organised and funded by their respective fraternity and need to be accountable to their members for their performance. Mr Ganesh Rajaram and Mr Faisal Manap spoke about the state of football in Singapore and the role that FAS and its leadership could play to revitalise the football ecosystem. We note that the development of Singapore football is currently undergoing a significant transition with FAS due for elections this year. FAS has been under the guidance of a Provisional Council since 16 November 2016 after the term of the last Council expired. Until the new leadership is elected, the direction of FAS remains uncertain. We urge FAS to conduct the election soon. Mdm Chairman, football has a large following in Singapore and generates a lot of public interest. FAS will need to work closely with its stakeholders, including SportSG, as it develops its multi-year strategic plan.”
“With the completion of Phase One, residents now enjoy local facilities like the street soccer court and a multi-purpose community lawn court, both laid with an artificial turf. The street soccer court is well-received and is enjoyed by the youths, who would otherwise usually play on the more common hard court or at the void deck. Besides Boon Lay, residents in Jurong Spring can also look forward to similar facilities later this year. We will be expanding the programme to include precincts that are not under HDB's Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. We will initiate around 20 SIP projects across the island by 2020, supported by a budget of $50 million. More residents can enjoy playing sports closer to home. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap spoke about hosting national events at the National Stadium. The Singapore Sports Hub was designed to be an integrated sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub for the community and our athletes. It is a place where we can enjoy shared experiences and build strong bonds amongst Singaporeans. In just under three years since the Sports Hub began operations, we have seen the National Stadium play host to major events, including the SEA Games, ASEAN Para Games, NDP, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Singapore Rugby 7s, the StanChart Marathon Singapore 2016, and concerts, such as Madonna and A-mei. The Sports Hub Community Play Days and Experience Sports sessions, which are free to the public, have also been organised to encourage more to come and enjoy the offerings at the Sports Hub. Nonetheless, more can and should be done by Sports Hub Private Limited (SHPL) to enhance the vibrancy of the Sports Hub and improve the quality of its calendar of events and programming.”
“Besides working with the various Government agencies, it is also crucial for NHB to gather ideas from the public through different platforms. We can then share details of this plan with Singaporeans next year. From 2018, the plan will guide the long-term development of our cultural heritage. In this way, we will increase Singaporeans' participation, deepen ownership of our heritage and inspire the Singapore Spirit. We will review this plan every five years, so that it will be a blueprint for Singapore's cultural heritage that truly belongs to us. (In English): Beyond arts and heritage, sport is another arena where communities can come together as one. Complementing the programmes offered by ActiveSG, we will continue to expand and enhance access to sporting spaces through the Sports Facilities Master Plan. Every year, millions of Singaporeans make use of public sports facilities and the numbers continue to grow. Mr Melvin Yong spoke about making sports facilities in schools available to the public. Under the Dual-Use-Scheme (DUS), members of the public can and are making use of facilities like the Indoor Sports Halls and school fields after school hours. As we announced last year, we will continue to progressively open up all remaining indoor sports halls and fenced fields in Government primary and secondary schools by around 2020. Over the past year, we opened up around 50 more facilities for shared use and are on track to meet our target. Complementing DUS, the Sports-in-Precinct (SIP) programme also creates accessible play spaces for use by the local community. We initiated a pilot project in Boon Lay.”
“We will seek the views of different groups of stakeholders and different segments of society on a wide range of topics, such as heritage preservation, heritage education and promotion, and making heritage spaces and programmes more accessible and inclusive. Over the next few months, NHB will continue to hold engagement sessions with heritage stakeholders and partners, including academia, experts, industry practitioners, community and heritage groups, youths, volunteers and educators. Singaporeans will also be invited to provide their views on the Plan later this year at public roadshows, online platforms and other channels. We target to publish the first edition of the Heritage Plan in early 2018, with an update every five years. Mdm Chairman, please allow me to elaborate on the Heritage Plan in Mandarin. 6.15 pm (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Chairman, NHB and MCCY will be embarking on the important task of inspiring the Singapore Spirit through our diverse cultural heritage. NHB will be developing a whole new, comprehensive Heritage Plan for Singapore that complements the earlier announced ACSR plans. We will gather public feedback and discuss how to systematically document and preserve tangible and intangible heritage, as well as the commonly neglected community heritage. NHB has already started working on these areas. Through the Heritage Research Grant, academic Dr Koh Keng We conducted research on the local history, rituals, institutions and networks of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. At the same time, NHB also launched a survey on intangible cultural heritage last year. Cultural heritage has always been the microcosm of human development. Thus, Singaporeans are our best advisors and resources for this blueprint.”
“As Mr Darryl David highlighted, heritage and culture can build and develop a stronger sense of identity in Singaporeans. We agree and are working to preserve and promote our heritage in a more comprehensive way. As the Minister earlier shared, NHB will be developing a comprehensive national blueprint for our heritage sector. The Heritage Plan for Singapore will set out the national vision and action plans for a museum and heritage landscape that will foster a stronger sense of belonging and identity among our people. One aspect of the Heritage Plan that NHB will be looking at is policy and legislative reviews that will enable us to better conduct the task of archaeology in Singapore. This will contribute towards a fuller picture of Singapore's history, going much further than half a century of Independence. Members may recall the 2015 archaeological excavation at Empress Place. We uncovered some 3.5 tonnes of artefacts from 14th century Singapore or, more accurately, Temasek. The 300 to 500 copper coins from different time periods in imperial China, 12th century Ceylon, and coins used by the Dutch East India Company, suggest that 14th century Temasek had been a well-established international trading hub. In the absence of written records, these artefacts provide clues to the kinds of activities that took place on our island. Mr Kok Heng Leun spoke about the importance of engaging different segments of society on how our heritage is documented, acknowledged and shared. The Heritage Plan aims to nurture an active community which takes ownership of our heritage.”
“For example, the Greenfield Project located at Block O of Goodman Arts Centre offers multi-purpose and project studios with options for rental, either on an hourly, daily or monthly basis. Beyond Government spaces, we partner the private sector to co-locate arts groups in commercial developments under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA's) Community Sports Facilities Scheme (CSFS). For instance, Very Special Arts has taken up a space at Changi City Point Mall since 2011. Mdm Chairman, as we build a strong local cultural scene, Dr Lim Wee Kiak rightly pointed out that we should also share our unique culture with the rest of the world. Given our warm cultural ties with many countries, we have been able to showcase our arts and culture through cultural exchanges and collaborations. In 2014, MCCY established the Cultural Diplomacy Fund (CDF) to raise the international profile of Singapore artists and cultural institutions and to grow our diplomatic space by showcasing the "softer side" of Singapore. These efforts provide opportunities for our artists to grow. They also profile cultural excellence beyond our shores, strengthen capabilities and develop markets for Singapore's culture sector. This year, Singapore will be represented at the Venice Biennale with multidisciplinary artist Zai Kuning's showcase Dapunta Hyang: Transmission of Knowledge, a culmination of over 20 years of research on Malay culture and history in Southeast Asia. At the recent Singapore Art Week, visitors to Gillman Barracks had the chance to observe the artwork in progress when Zai's studio was open to the public then. Works like Zai's, which will be in Venice from 13 May to 26 November, will help to profile Singapore artists both at home and abroad.”
“That is why in 2015, MCCY set up the Culture Academy to nurture the next generation of cultural leadership in the public sector. We also agree with Mr Kok that producers play an important role in a vibrant arts and heritage ecosystem by helping our artists put their work out. Besides NAC's Creative Producer Development Programme, our cultural institutions like the Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay, also play a role in developing such expertise. For instance, the Esplanade co-commissions productions and shares risks with producers to develop a canon of Singapore works. Beyond our shores, the Esplanade and NAC also pave the way for our producers to connect with international markets. This approach helps to develop a pool of producers who can contribute to art-making both locally and internationally. As Mr Kok highlighted, our arts and culture landscape today is a product of the legacy of many artistic pioneers. It is the amalgamation of efforts of not just artists, but also a wide range of other professionals with creative, management and technical expertise. We recognise the contributions of these individuals who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes. They can be great mentors to our future generation of cultural professionals. We will continue to look at platforms to recognise them and help them share their expertise with the artistic community as well. Mr Yee Chia Hsing asked if it is possible to provide low-cost spaces for artists to showcase their art works or conduct classes. We currently offer a range of long-term housing and short-term rental options at subsidised rates to support our arts sector. The short-term options, in particular, are flexible and cater to different needs.”
“Next, I would also like to address Mr Kok's point on developing artistic leadership in our major cultural institutions. We agree that it is important to have these institutions represented by individuals who are passionate about the arts and culture. We are privileged to have many distinguished arts practitioners sitting on our various boards. For example: Dr Meira Chand, author of the story behind The LKY Musical, serves as a Council Member on the National Arts Council; Mr Gaurav Kripalani, Artistic and Managing Director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre, serves on the board of the National Heritage Board; and Ms Aidli Mohamed Salleh Mosbit, a highly regarded playwright, director, actor, writer, designer and educator and also Young Artist Award winner, serves on the board of the School of the Arts. Besides having a good understanding of the arts and culture, it is important that Board Directors also represent diverse views and offer skills that are fundamental to good governance, such as in audit, finance, legal, audience development and philanthropy. Mdm Chairman, leadership positions in our cultural institutions are critical functions that require not only a good understanding of the arts and culture, but also administrative skills and whole-person capabilities. The Chief Executive and Artistic Director oversee the implementation of our cultural policies and set the programming direction. They are our main interface with the artistic community, patrons and audiences. They are responsible for stewardship and governance of public resources. It is, therefore, important to identify the right candidate for these key positions. We are cognisant of the need to develop a pipeline of cultural leaders in Singapore.”
“We will intensify our efforts to raise arts excellence while increasing connection with and accessibility to the arts and, in so doing, help nurture a confident people with pride in their culture and heritage. We agree with Mr Kok on the importance of making arts a part of our shared spaces and are very encouraged by Priyageetha Dia's creativity to enhance our living spaces. Understandably, there could be concerns from residents that the local Town Council needs to address. Hence, we encourage young artists to work closely with the precincts and space managers to enliven our community. One recent example is young artist, Jaxton Su, who worked with the property owner to develop a large-scale mural along Race Course Road which was supported by NAC's Matchbox Grant. NAC will be happy to facilitate this process. Mr Kok asked for an update on the proposed Traditional Arts Centre. NAC worked closely to support all affected arts groups from the Stamford Arts Centre throughout the upgrading process. Most of the affected arts groups have either moved into other NAC arts spaces or have found spaces through private leases. The last tenant vacated in end November last year. Since then, NAC has completed a feasibility study and will be starting refurbishment works. When the new Stamford Arts Centre is ready in 2018, it is envisioned to be a vibrant space for the performing arts, especially traditional arts. It will bring rich performing traditions closer to the community and support innovative content creation while deepening its relevance in modern Singapore. One idea is to have a residency programme to help seed new collaborations and compelling content. NAC also hopes to get the local Waterloo community more involved through the incubation of community arts projects.”
“While we acknowledge that the arts can be a good platform to teach critical thinking and promote deeper understanding of issues, it is also important for the content and presentation to be context- and age-appropriate. We will continue to work with various stakeholders to bridge this understanding so that we can enlarge the common space for artistic expression and foster a better appreciation of the value of the arts. We applaud the work that Mr Kok's theatre company, Drama Box, has undertaken to address sensitive issues, such as race-based tensions, conservation and development through forum theatre, and we hope to learn more from the experience. I would like to refer to Mr Leon Perera's question. NAC funding guidelines are published and are part of the funding agreement between NAC and the grant applicants. NAC seeks to enlarge the space for the arts to flourish without compromising on social cohesion and stability. As such, NAC does not fund activities which undermine public institutions, political parties or figures, regardless of political affiliation. We believe that confidence in public institutions is fundamental to the future of Singapore. Mdm Chairman, ACSR has funded many initiatives to raise arts excellence. In 2015, Singapore returned to the Venice Biennale. The recent Singapore Biennale 2016, which presented 10 Singapore works, has just ended with record visitorship numbers of more than 614,000 visitors. In 2016, SIFA featured 20 productions, including collaborations between Singaporean and international artists, such as Brian Gothong Tan's Tropical Traumas: A Series of Cinematographic Choreographies, which was presented at Ron Arad's 720° stage at Gardens by the Bay.”
“The Minister spoke about our plans to engage more Singaporeans through our arts and heritage offerings. Singapore's culture scene has, indeed, come a long way. Mr Kok Heng Leun spoke about the need to take stock of what has been achieved under ACSR and our plans going forward to 2025. Our efforts under ACSR are bearing fruit. More Singaporeans are attending arts events and visiting our museums and heritage institutions. Our surveys have shown that eight in 10 Singaporeans attended an arts event or activity in 2015. In the same year, museum visitorship also reached an all-time high of 3.75 million. More Singaporeans also believe in the value of the arts and culture. Nevertheless, more can still be done to make culture a part of everyday life and to ensure that culture is inclusive and accessible to all. We will continue to develop and support programmes that can connect with various segments of Singaporeans. Mr Kok also spoke about involving non-Singaporeans in our arts programmes. Through the Presentation and Participation Grant, NAC recently supported Kapor ChatParty by The Octopus Residency, a ground-up initiative that aims to foster a sense of community in Little India, whether for residents, patrons or visitors. As we broaden community outreach and accessibility, we agree with Mr Kok on the value of arts and culture. This is MCCY's mission. Over the years, we have expanded the space for artistic expression and divergent views. At the same time, however, we need to be mindful of our social and cultural context and balance this with mutual respect of views and social harmony.”
“Mdm Chairman, with your permission, I will display some slides.”
“This is a huge missed opportunity as, in recent years, the power of linked and integrated data to provide insight into complex phenomena has become more apparent. Typically, concerns about the legality of data sharing and information governance have prevented the creation of large, linked datasets across public services. But there are now pioneering local authorities around the world which are starting to build large linked datasets across local public services, opening up powerful insights. And the MSO OneService app is a good start. 6.15 pm Linked data is effectively the creation of an online information architecture, sometimes referred to as data warehousing. It offers the ability to access data involved through an online portal. On OneService app, there are data from across the 11 agencies. For example, I find that one low-hanging fruit that we can consider is the 62,000 Police Cameras (PolCam) in HDB estates. While the PolCam initiative was targeted at deterring and solving crime, the cameras and data collected would be very useful to solve many municipal issues. In the Budget speech, Minister Heng spoke about using funds to support cross-agency projects, including those from MSO. So, I would like to ask the Minister how MSO is seeking to use this fund. Under the impetus of the Smart Nation initiative, I hope that MSO would also develop a vision where technology could be adopted to improve municipal service delivery, and consolidated data could be better used for improvements to operations and service delivery.”
“According to them, a "responsive" city is one that does not just make ordinary transactions like making paying a parking ticket easier, but one that uses the information generated by its interactions with residents to better understand and predict the needs of neighbourhoods, to measure the effectiveness of city agencies and workers, to identify waste and fraud, to increase transparency and, most importantly, to solve problems. By using its own data and social media, a city "should learn what its citizens are saying about their needs and the issues in their communities. It should learn across agencies about the solutions to problems; it should learn from the data about good actors and bad actors. The way most governments are organised tend to focus on specific key performance indicators (KPIs) and some people would call it the silo-ed nature of public services, often pointed to as a factor behind inefficiency or poor outcomes. However, our public agencies are not doing shoddy work. But because they are specialised agencies handling specific problems, there is a greater need for better coordination, closer collaboration and integrated solutions. When responsibilities fall onto different agencies which does not work in an integrated way, opportunities to intervene earlier or more effectively are missed. For transactional or back office services, a lack of integration will lead to duplicated activity and poor services experienced by residents, such as having to provide the same information over and over again. This problem of silo-ed working can apply to data as well, as silos extend to the data they hold, making it difficult for services to view data held by other agencies.”
“People would throw bread, rice or other food either out of the kitchen window or onto the ground. I even know of an elderly man who would carry a backpack full of birdfeed. He would grab a handful, stretch out his hand and let birds feed from his hand. You can literally see birds flying around him as he walks around the estate. So, I call him the Snow White of Tampines. Feeding of pigeons is illegal and AVA could fine an offender up to $500. Throwing food out of the window or on the grass is littering, which could attract an NEA fine of up to $2,000 for the first conviction, and even a corrective work order. However, both agencies can only apprehend the culprit when caught red-handed. But throwing out of the window is just a fleeting action. Usually, the Town Council will just have to clean up the leftover food, the bird droppings and the bird feathers. However, I am sure there will be a lot of public feedback to AVA, NEA or Town Council through email, telephone or through the MSO app. If we are able to consolidate the data, we would have a better sense of where and when the feeder strikes and maybe even who the feeder is. It does not need to be very sophisticated or hi-tech methods. Sometimes, residents or the cleaners themselves can offer invaluable information, just that there is no one lead agency talking to them, trying to piece together the various pieces of information or data, making sense of it and solving the problem. This approach can also be applied to issues of irresponsible cat feeding, high-rise littering and noise nuisances. Chairman, Harvard professors Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford wrote a book, "The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance".”
“Thank you. MSO was formed to improve the Government's overall coordination and delivery of municipal services. MSO currently works with 11 Government agencies to resolve issues, particularly in areas where multiple agencies are involved. All of these agencies, and I would like to acknowledge each of them: AVA, BCA, HDB, Land Transport Authority (LTA), NEA, NParks, PA, Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Singapore Police Force (SPF) and URA − not all of them have three-letter acronyms, by the way − all of them work very hard and, most of the time, tirelessly behind the scene so that we in Singapore can enjoy one of the world's highest quality living environments. The beauty and strength of Singapore's Public Service is that every agency has a clear focus and has built the expertise to perform its role well. Hence, the potential of MSO should be more than the strength of the 11 agencies or, if we include MSO, more than the strength of 12 agencies. The sum should be greater than the parts. Let me illustrate with a common municipal problem that many Members would be familiar with, birds. Singapore may be an urban jungle but we do have a lot of wildlife here: mynahs and pigeons. Their numbers have increased tremendously because of the easy access to food. One would assume that the birds would, therefore, only congregate at hawker centres and coffee shops, but no. In Tampines, I receive feedback from residents that their laundry has been soiled by bird droppings, and some even have birds flying into their flats. And these areas do not have food establishments nearby. I am sure this happens at other estates as well. The reason why the birds would gather at these areas is because there are people feeding them. There is food for them.”