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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“Let me explain the rationale behind this longstanding exception. Over the years, there have been concerns about bulky child seats taking up significant boot space in taxis and the time taken to install and remove them for each trip. As children of different age groups require different types of restraints and seats, there were also concerns about how to ensure that taxis had the right configuration of child seats to cater to different families. The alternative was for parents to be responsible for providing the child seats, as is the practice in some countries. But there were practical challenges about parents having to lug heavy, bulky car seats around, especially those with bigger families. As the Member has rightly pointed out, more portable child restraints and seats have become available on the market in recent years. In 2019, LTA conducted consultations with the public, drivers, operators and other stakeholders on a suite of regulatory changes for the taxi and private hire car, or PHC, sector. At that time, we had also sought public and industry feedback on the option of mandating the use of child restraints and booster seats in taxis. However, views were split almost right down the middle. Even within each group of stakeholders consulted, there were different views. Amongst parents, less than half the respondents to the public consultation supported requiring all children to be properly secured in child restraints or booster seats in taxis. Some parents felt that they are fundamentally responsible for their child's safety and should be able to decide whether to bring and use child restraints and booster seats.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Member started with a story about his daughters and the three dolls. I also have three kids, but we never bought three sets of toys for our kids because we believe that they should learn to share. The Member has raised several Parliamentary Questions before on the topic of making child seats mandatory in taxis. I would like to commend the Member for his efforts in engaging the different stakeholders and raising awareness for the importance of child seats. In fact, it was the Member who first gave the idea for SMRT's booster seat trial. We also enjoyed the video he made with his two adorable daughters and shared on social media. We all agree that safety is important. Therefore, we have introduced many measures to protect the safety of motorists, their passengers and other road users. These include good traffic rules, stringent standards in awarding driving and vocational licences, effective traffic management systems and enforcement. As an additional measure to protect our children, we require all passengers under 1.35 metres in height to be properly secured using approved child restraints or booster seats when travelling in motor vehicles. Taxis are the only exception to this rule. Our practice is similar to countries, such as Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some jurisdictions in the US, including New York and Washington DC. The Member is right that places like Germany, California and New South Wales strictly require child restraints and booster seats to be used in taxis. However, in these places, the onus is generally on the parents to bring along the required types and number of child restraints and booster seats. Taxis there are, generally, not required to provide the child restraints and booster seats.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, it is important to build a healthy and vibrant EV eco-system in Singapore. The Government will do this in partnership with industry and public stakeholders. In particular, echoing what Ms Janet Ang said, there is much economic value offered by the EV industry. We are working with relevant economic agencies to anchor high value R&D activities and develop related industries, such as charging systems and automotive manufacturing, to establish an EV eco-system. As highlighted by Mr Sharael Taha, our workforce, especially our technicians and mechanics, will need to be equipped with the necessary skills to transit into future job opportunities. We are working closely with a wide variety of stakeholders on this: unions, trade associations, companies, Institutes of Higher Learning and skills development agencies. Through our combined efforts, I look forward to making a safe transition to EVs and a greener, more sustainable living environment. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Baey Yam Keng]. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“We agree with Ms Yeo Wan Ling that point-to-point transport (P2P) drivers have specific charging needs which need to be met as they transit to EVs. We are working closely with P2P transport operators to facilitate their efforts to develop charging infrastructure for their fleets. P2P drivers can also tap on the growing network of fast chargers island-wide. Sixth, on the disposal and recycling of used EV batteries, an issue which Mr Leon Perera raised. From July this year, the National Environment Agency, or NEA, will implement an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme to ensure the proper treatment and recycling of regulated electrical and electronic waste. This includes EV batteries. Under the scheme, producers of EV batteries are responsible for the proper treatment of the batteries when they reach end-of-life. NEA has also appointed an operator to collect consumer EV batteries on behalf of the producers. All collected EV batteries are to be sent for proper treatment with licensed e-waste recyclers. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I am heartened that Members are enthusiastic about the benefits of EVs and greener modes of transport in general like public transport and cycling. Some of these ideas are beyond the scope of this Bill. Today's Bill to assign LTA statutory functions on EV and EV infrastructure is a strong commitment to the transition to cleaner energy vehicles, but it is only the first step. Building on this, we will introduce further legislation in due course, such as the registration of EV chargers and charger provision requirement for new buildings. Nevertheless, we will study and, where possible, incorporate the many useful ideas and also address the concerns raised by Members today.”
“Going forward, the National EV Centre under LTA will coordinate and drive close collaboration among agencies, including URA, EMA and HDB, to deploy chargers. We will also explore supporting regulations on data use, which Ms Mariam Jaafar has suggested. I am glad that Mr Louis Ng and Ms Janet Ang raised the role of private development owners in the deployment of EV charging points. That includes Mr Dennis Tan as well. Indeed, we target 20,000 charging points to be deployed at private premises by 2030. To kick this off, we will launch the EV Common Charger Grant in July, to defray charger installation costs in non-landed private residences, such as condominiums. We will need to engage stakeholders, such as MCSTs, managing agents and charging operators, to see if we can do more. But more importantly, the economics must work. Users must find it more worthwhile to drive an EV compared to an internal combustion engine vehicle, so that vendors will enter the market. Fifth, on charger availability. Beyond charger deployment, the issue of charging anxiety raised by Ms Ng Ling Ling can be addressed by maximising access to chargers as far as possible through a mix of smart charging solutions and advance booking features. To respond to Mr Gan Thiam Poh, our charger deployment tenders will also incorporate innovations in charging technology where feasible. More importantly, as Ms Janet Ang rightly pointed out, developing good social norms is also essential to discourage behaviour like lot hogging by cars that do not need charging. As Mr Dennis Tan mentioned, there are pricing schemes to discourage such behaviour, such as time-based pricing for an EV that is already fully charged.”
“The Minister for Transport earlier mentioned that if our light vehicles switch to EVs and most EV owners charge around the same time of the day, we may need to add one or two new 600-megawatt electricity generating units in our power generation system. This amounts to around 8% to 16% of the current overall peak electricity demand in Singapore. The required upgrades will be implemented over the next two decades as we survey our grid and gather insights on charging behaviour. Agencies plan upgrades by catering for a capacity buffer to insure against unanticipated consumption growth. This will ensure that the electricity grid remains stable, as substations are unlikely to exceed capacity due to EV charging. Fourth, on charger deployment. We have announced our plan to roll out 40,000 charging points at our public carparks by 2030. This is a major undertaking which will necessarily involve some electrical infrastructure upgrades, and LTA has launched a Request-for-Information to consult the industry on how best to structure private sector involvement in the funding of these upgrades. Input from this exercise will also inform the design and use of carpark lots for charging, including issues that Mr Dennis Tan had mentioned. As Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Ms Janet Ang pointed out, agencies will need to work closely together on the national charger deployment plan. We already see this close cooperation among agencies in the pilot charging point tender issued in November 2020, covering multiple carparks owned by different agencies. Another example, as mentioned by Mr Sharael Taha, is how LTA is working with HDB to incorporate EV charging demand into the upgrading of substations in older estates, under HDB's Electrical Load Upgrading Programme.”
“It is an offence under the Electricity Act to tamper with electrical installations, which include fixed EV chargers. Mr Saktiandi Supaat can be assured that these requirements will remain in place, regardless of the agency in charge of regulating EV chargers. Second, on incentives for electric motorcycles. Mr Louis Ng asked about the Ministry's plans to promote adoption of electric motorcycles. As he pointed out, there are some barriers to electric motorcycle adoption today that are beyond our control. Globally, there are not many electric motorcycle models, compared to electric cars. Many motorcycle dealers and distributors have also not adjusted to the electric motorcycle market yet. Therefore, we have not included motorcycles in our 2030 cleaner energy target on new registrations at the moment. As the global market for electric motorcycle matures, we should see more offerings for consumers. We will continue to monitor such trends and consider suitable measures to encourage adoption if necessary. At the same time, we will look into providing for the charging needs of vehicles like electric motorcycles and goods vehicles, as part of our charger deployment plans. We will also not rule out battery swapping for motorcycles. Third, on available grid capacity to support EVs. EMA and LTA are working with local researchers to study the long-term electrical infrastructure needs for EV charging in Singapore. Preliminary findings show that we may require some upgrades at various levels, including the consumer intake substations, the distribution grid network, as well as power generation.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I thank Members for their support of the Bill. They have also raised issues on EV charger regulation and other EV-related topics, which are important as EVs become increasingly common. To clarify, for the purposes of this Bill, the definition of EV includes battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles but excludes other types of hybrid vehicles that cannot be recharged by plugging in to an external source of electrical power. First, on electrical safety. Safety must be of priority in all aspects of EV use and charging. That is why we abide by stringent safety standards. For example, LTA mandates that the electric powertrain of EVs must meet requirements in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulations. I would like to assure Mr Sharael Taha that we have strict laws to enforce against illegal modifications which are detected either through on-the-road enforcement or periodic vehicle inspections. For software that governs EV performance, such as motor power output and batteries, we will need to work with EV manufacturers to explore ways to guard against illegal modifications. EV charging systems are governed by Technical Reference 25, or TR25, which is based on global standards set by organisations like the International Electrotechnical Commission. TR25 is tailored to our warm and humid weather conditions and guards against safety hazards like overheating or electrocution. Every review of TR25 is a consultative process involving industry stakeholders, academics and Government agencies. This ensures that TR25 supports innovation in EV charging technology, while ensuring public safety. Licensed electrical workers are required to ensure, and only install, EV chargers that are TR25 compliant.”
“LTA has since taken over from EMA and is currently leading a review of TR 25 with the aim of using the TR 25 to facilitate industry development. This Bill formalises LTA's role to lead the TR 25 Review Committee. Fourth, the Bill makes it LTA's function to cooperate and collaborate with EMA on matters relating to technical standards for fixed EV chargers and the safe use of EV chargers in Singapore. Today, EMA enforces TR 25 for fixed EV chargers through regulatory requirements on licensed electrical workers, or LEWs, under the Electricity Act. Only LEWs are authorised to install fixed EV chargers and they must ensure that the chargers comply with TR 25 before they install them. Hence, the Bill requires LTA and EMA to work closely together in the regulation of fixed EV chargers. While LTA sets EV charging standards going forward, EMA will continue to require LEWs to install fixed EV chargers that comply with the latest standards, which will henceforth be set by LTA. This Bill provision reflects the close collaboration needed between these two agencies. There is therefore a consequential amendment to the Electricity Act to provide EMA with a new statutory function to collaborate with LTA on these matters. Mr Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“The Energy Market Authority (EMA) oversees the regulation of EV chargers which are affixed to the electricity grid. The current situation is not optimal because while LTA is in charge of developing the charging infrastructure, it does not have oversight of the regulations governing proper installation. Furthermore, no Government agency oversees the regulation of non-fixed charging solutions like battery swapping. We need to change this existing arrangement to better progress adoption of EVs and EV charging technology. LTA, as the vehicle licensing authority, will be the agency to regulate both EVs and EV chargers. I am, therefore, introducing the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill today to empower LTA with new statutory functions relating to EVs and EV charging infrastructure. The key provisions are as follows. First, the Bill assigns LTA the function of promoting and regulating the safe use of EVs in Singapore. This squarely charges LTA with the mission to develop and implement EV-related schemes and policies. Second, the Bill also confers on LTA the function of undertaking or facilitating the development and maintenance of publicly accessible EV charging points and their supporting infrastructure. Third, the Bill charges LTA with the function of setting technical standards for all EV chargers in Singapore in the interest of public safety. There is clarity now between EMA and LTA in this sphere of work. Today, all EV chargers must comply with a set of technical standards and safety precautions called the Technical Reference 25, or TR 25. Previous reviews of TR 25 were administrated by EMA in consultation with other agencies.”
“Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." During this year's Committee of Supply debate, Minister Ong said that our national vision is to have substantially all vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040. We have, therefore, embarked on a major transition towards electric vehicles (EVs). The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is undertaking efforts in three areas to enable this transition: first, reviewing the EV tax structure; second, developing the charging network and infrastructure; and third, reviewing the regulatory regime for EV chargers and EV charging services. This Bill has to do with the third prong of our efforts: update and strengthen the regulations for chargers that serve EVs, which include electric cars, motorcycles, goods vehicles and buses. As part of this effort, we intend to amend existing legislation in two stages. The first stage is the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill 2021 tabled before Members today. It assigns statutory functions relating to EVs and EV charging infrastructure to the Land Transport Authority (LTA). The second stage involves other legislative measures related to EV chargers that are still being studied. Possible measures include registration of EV chargers and charger provision requirements for new building and carpark developments. MOT is consulting the industry, working through the policy specifics of these measures and will table a separate Bill when ready. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me now take the House through the changes in today's Bill. Currently, the regulatory landscape for EV chargers is truncated. LTA's regulatory mandate covers road vehicles, including EVs, but it does not cover EV chargers.”
“We will continue to partner the community to achieve our vision of a safe and inclusive transport system for all.”
“From April, commuters with long-term, invisible medical conditions or disabilities can request for a specially designed card and lanyard at Passenger Service Centres and Offices. The Government will continue to invest in safety and inclusivity-related initiatives. We are improving accessibility for persons with disabilities, as Mr Gerald Giam has suggested. Today, all train stations and bus interchanges are barrier-free. About 1,300 signalised pedestrian crossings have audio-tactile signals to help the visually impaired pedestrians. We will work with MSF to enhance these, such as extending their operating hours. At stations along the newest Thomson-East Coast Line, we have also taken in feedback from focus group discussions to introduce bigger signages with better contrast, larger font sizes and clearer symbols. These are useful for commuters who may not see as well, or may not understand English. These will be rolled out to all new stations. However, we need to prioritise our efforts given the high cost of infrastructural improvements. For example, we have already committed over $370 million over the last eight years on covered linkways and we will continue to enhance walkability. So, I seek Mr Gerald Giam’s and Mr Faisal Manap’s understanding that we must be financially prudent and focus on areas near transport nodes first. Finally, commuters have asked for guidance on how to help fellow commuters. The Caring SG Commuters Committee is studying these ideas and I look forward to their recommendations due in the middle of 2021. Mr Chairman, our daily commutes are not just about moving a person from one point to another. They are also about sharing and navigating a common space, on public paths and public transport. All of us can make a difference.”
“Let us aim for a smooth travel without barriers, Everyone appreciates a gracious commute experience." 1.45 pm (In English): Chairman, last year, I announced the setting up of a Caring SG Commuters Committee. Ms Poh Li San asked about our plans. Over the past year, the Committee engaged many commuters. Through focus group discussions and surveys, the Committee found that Singaporeans want to help fellow commuters, but often do not know how. Only about one in four commuters know how to assist commuters with conditions such as hearing and developmental disabilities. I can understand why, because these conditions may not be immediately noticeable. We will therefore try to help the public better understand other commuters’ needs. One key initiative is the recruitment of Caring Commuter Champions, who will be trained by SG Enable to support commuters with special needs. I hope more people will volunteer as Caring Commuter Champions, to make a change in your fellow commuters’ journeys. The Public Transport Council also found that only around half of survey respondents were comfortable to ask for help even if they needed it. It is sometimes awkward to ask for help, especially when we do not want to inconvenience others. We want to make it easier for commuters to ask for help. In October 2019, LTA launched a pilot where commuters who need a seat could alert others with a "May I have a seat please?” sticker. Go-Ahead Singapore also launched a “Helping Hand” trial, providing commuters with mobility needs a card with instructions for the bus captains. Both initiatives received positive feedback. Today, I am pleased to announce that the “May I have a seat please?” initiative will be made permanent.”
“Responsible behaviour is also important in keeping roads safe. Like other road users, cyclists must follow traffic rules. Motorists should look out for more vulnerable users. With the right mindset and a culture of graciousness, we can enjoy active mobility in a safe and harmonious way. Mr Chairman, allow me to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] A culture of graciousness is critical in making our public transport system safe and inclusive. Taking the trains and buses is a big part of our daily lives. To able-bodied Singaporeans, the public transport system is an easy way to get around quickly and conveniently. But the commute can be a bit challenging for elderly and commuters with special needs. They, too, should be able to use public transport seamlessly and safely. We can be more understanding towards this group of commuters, by putting their needs before ours, and stepping forward to help fellow commuters. These acts of care may be small, but they can really make a difference to those who need help. Recently, Ang Mo Kio MRT station service ambassadors told me that students with autism from the nearby Pathlight School sometimes would look for them to have a chat. To these commuters with special needs, the familiar faces of the service ambassadors can be a source of comfort and encouragement. I have written a short poem to encourage everyone: "Pedestrians, cyclists and Personal Mobility Device riders, A friendly reminder to not rush, Please slow down when there is someone in front of you. Never forget to put safety first. Do look at the road ahead and not at your phone. Whether on the MRT or the bus, Do not neglect the culture of being a caring commuter.”
“Mr Chairman, I will share our efforts in building a transport system that is safe and inclusive for all, on public paths and public transport. More people are taking up cycling and other active modes, with monthly shared bike use tripling in 2020. It is important that all path users, both pedestrians and riders, remain safe. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about improving path safety. Earlier this year, the Government accepted Active Mobility Advisory Panel's recommendation that all bicycles must have brakes when used on public paths and roads. This will come into effect in September. We also mandated third-party liability insurance for active mobility riders who ride for work purposes, such as delivery riders. This will go some way towards one, ensuring the accident victims receive compensation and two, protecting commercial riders against excessive claims. To further enhance path safety, we announced that e-scooter and power-assisted bicycle riders must take a theory test to ride in public. With this, all riders will know the rules and code of conduct. We will release the test handbook in April and begin testing in mid-2021. Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked about our efforts to educate pedestrians and riders. From May we will launch a new "Move Happy" Graciousness campaign to raise awareness on safe and gracious path-sharing with three guidelines: one, keep left on paths; second, use the most appropriate path; and third, be alert of our surroundings. We have also run the Safe Riding Programme (SRP) since 2018. Many participants found this voluntary session a fun and hands-on way to learn about safe riding. I am pleased to announce that we are refreshing the SRP around the second quarter this year to make it even more interactive.”
“For example, sometimes, we have residents complaining of people gathering at the void deck seating area during wee hours causing a noise nuisance, and requests to remove the seating. However, there could also be responsible users at other times of the day, for instance neighbours having a chit chat at the void deck or elderly taking a rest on the way home from the market. We typically ask grassroots leaders who live there for their observations, but these tend to be anecdotal and may not be very data driven. A digital survey could reach a potentially different and bigger segment of the population to supplement the information for a better considered decision. However, local organisations like Grassroots and Town Council would not have the critical mass or scale to develop a robust platform for such surveys. So, I hope that MSO could consider developing one and offer the platform for the Town Council or organisations to reach out to residents so that we can promote greater community ownership and good neighbourliness. Technology Improvements on OneService Municipal Services”
“Mr Chairman, in Tampines North, I have been quite involved in the block repainting projects done by the Town Council. I feel that it is important that our blocks look good and residents live in a neighbourhood that they can identify with and have a sense of belonging. Therefore, I have been working closely with the contractor to design colour schemes. Only when personally satisfied with the designs, do we offer the options for residents to choose from. We even give names to the design themes and I am happy that so far, we have completed the #TampinesTVscreen and #TampinesTudor series, and we are in the process of painting the #TampinesTingkat and #TampinesKuehlapis designs. Some of them have become popular spots for Instagram postings. The Tampines TV Screen has even inspired UNIQLO's 2019 National Day neighbourhood t-shirt design for Tampines, and more recently the TV Screen block façade was featured in Disney+'s promotional video. I am happy that this design and colour scheme was selected by residents in 2015 with an overwhelming 58% vote among three options. There are many other estate improvement projects like Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and the Home Improvement Programme which require, and rightfully so, residents' support through a voting process. Voting is typically done manually, requiring physical forms or manual voting. Given the popularity of OneService app, I hope that the MSO could look at providing a voting or straw poll function. This is especially so during the current pandemic when we need to minimise gatherings of people and physical interactions. Such a feature could also be useful in gathering inputs from the community on local issues.”
“I thank the Member for his push for this. Safety for all people, especially young children, is important. MOT will continue to monitor the situation. I think while safety is important, but we really also need to consider other implications, especially when it affects the livelihood of people. One option we could look at, I think, if we see that there is a need for it, would be good to look at maybe ride-hail type of journeys to look into. But we will continue to consult and work with the different stakeholders as we look into this area.”
“This also may lead to some unhappiness among families with multiple young children, because they will need multiple taxis as there may not be sufficient child restraints in a single vehicle; or a larger capacity taxi with the various seats. So, it means that higher costs will be incurred on the families. And I do not think it is wise to impose this during this current economic situation. But, parents have option of using private hire cars, or PHCs, already, as they are included in this Act. Because PHCs are pre-booked, the passengers can indicate upfront, the seats required and the drivers have ample notice to prepare the seats for the passengers. Therefore, PHCs are included. Today, most if not, all parents of young children should be quite savvy in using ride-hailing apps. Therefore, I seek the Member's and parents' understanding that the current position does offer options and it strikes a good balance.”
“I thank the Member for his clarification. As always, every policy needs to strike a good balance, and in this case, for taxi drivers, the cost and also, operational considerations for them. Because taxis are used for livelihood. Taxi drivers make multiple trips throughout the day, serving the diverse needs of different passengers. In fact, we came to this position after public consultation with different stakeholders. Naturally, there was a range of views and one, as advocated by the Member Louis Ng, was that there should not be any compromise. So, all children in all vehicles must be in a booster seat or seat harness. But taxi operators did highlight the constraints because taxis need to satisfy a boot size requirement for luggage or things carried by passengers. If we add on the booster seat requirement, it may pose a challenge, especially for the new hybrid car models which tend to have a smaller boot. I thank the Member for showing me a compact booster seat that may be easier to store, but we must also look at – if the rule was or the law was implemented on taxis, it means that every child passenger in all taxis must be seated on a booster seat. First, it is not feasible for taxis to be fully equipped with different permutations of child restraints to cater to the children who may board the taxi. Also, this current exemption will facilitate taxis to offer street hail service for commuters with young children. Because the "flag, board and go" nature of street hails will be slowed down when the taxi drivers need to fix up the booster seats when stopping alongside the road.”
“Madam, SMRT commenced a six-month Booster Seat Pilot Programme in March 2020, but due to the circuit breaker, it was extended to December 2020. About 1,750 SMRT taxis were equipped with booster seats for young children. However, the utilisation rate for these booster seats was low, as there were very few requests for the booster seats from commuters. The booster seats remain in the taxis, and SMRT will provide further updates on their usage soon. If there are other taxi companies who are keen to conduct similar pilots, LTA will be glad to consider.”
“During her four years there, because she was "within her league", she blossomed. Her confidence and self-esteem improved tremendously and she was offered various exposure and leadership opportunities in school. I am glad she did really well in her "O" level last year and could make it to any school she wants. Through a slightly different pathway, she now joins her elder brother, who is doing the last year of his Integrated Programme. What made us really proud of her is that she did all these years without any tuition. She made it with her diligence and discipline and, I would say, by being in a school environment that supported her and one that was suitable for her. In recent years, MOE announced major structural changes to our education system, including the new PSLE scoring system and Full Subject-Based Banding in Secondary schools. May I know what MOE is doing to help students and parents understand the thinking behind these major changes so that all can benefit from the policy intent? This is not to game the system but to change mindsets so that our young could reap the benefits of the changes and, more importantly, enjoy the learning process and develop positive attitudes that would stay with them for lifelong learning. Foundation Subjects in Primary School”
“Mr Chairman, I have three children. Over the past eight years, my family have gone through three PSLEs, one "O" level and one "A" level. There will be one more taking "A" level examination this year and the youngest one will be taking hers next year. Members who are sharp will think that maybe I missed out two "O" levels. Those who are quicker will know that I did not miss any major milestones in my children's education but because two of them are in the Integrated Programme. But I am sure that there may be Members who do not understand what we are talking about because they have no children or their children have long passed their schooling years. Indeed, most of us will only pay attention to or make an effort to understand policies which affect us directly. However, in the area of education, most of us will claim some authority because we ourselves have gone through formal education in Singapore. We have our own experience to go by. The problem is, the personal experience of most parents will be outdated, easily by 20 to 30 years. For me, I went through the era when PSLE scores are in the 300 to 400s. I took my Secondary 1 History in Chinese, had to take a compulsory "O" level subject in Religious Knowledge, and could only choose a pure science, pure arts or pure commerce subject combination for my "A" level. All these have changed today. Today, "multiple pathways" have become the lingo and I am a firm believer of that. My youngest daughter did not do as well as her two elder siblings in Primary school. With a 30-point difference in her PSLE score, she could not make it to any of the schools offering the Integrated Programme. She went to a school in our neighbourhood, whose cut-off point was some way below her score.”
“There is a Chinese saying, 朝更暮改, which literally means: what was just changed in the morning, changes again at night. However, it would be wrong to label the United States, a global superpower, as fickle in its policies. Its institutions would be able to provide a good level of policy consistency from administration to administration. On the other hand, the United States has become more polarised as a nation. While Trump lost the elections, he still won more votes than any other presidential candidate, with the exception of Joe Biden. With such a domestic landscape, how does Singapore see political considerations shaping future policy developments in US international relations? Can the Minister share how Singapore will seek to work with the new Biden administration? State of Relations with China”
“Mr Chairman, in delivering Singapore's National Statement at the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, the Prime Minister said, "For small countries like Singapore, multilateral institutions, systems and laws are critical for our survival. These give us a stake in the global commons and a means to defend and advance our interests. A rules-based system imposes responsibilities on all countries and creates a stable environment for all. This is why Singapore is a staunch advocate of the United Nations (UN), international law and of the multilateral system." For many decades, the United States has played the leadership role in forging a global multilateral system. However, the immediate past US President Donald Trump had very different views or rather, he had his own way to perform the role. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, the US administration officially gave notice to withdraw from World Health Organization. On the environment front, there were nearly 100 rollbacks under the Trump administration to loosen regulations on everything from air and water quality to wildlife. In 2017, Trump announced his intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. The United States formally left the global pact on 4 November 2020, which, ironically, was the day after the US elections, which gave us Joe Biden as the 46th American president. Mr Biden called climate change an existential threat to the health of our planet and to our very survival. He vowed to reverse some of the Trump administration's policies as well as enact more of his own to combat climate change. On the first day after his inauguration, Biden signed 15 executive orders, including one to re-join the Paris Agreement.”
“Mr Speaker, the Active Mobility Code of Conduct, which was expanded in August 2020, is a set of guidelines for cyclists and riders. It also set out some safety tips and reminders for pedestrians. To be clear, it serves an educational purpose. "Enforcement" really entails officers going on the ground to exhort good behaviour and correct bad ones; non-compliance with code of conduct guidelines will not incur penalties. LTA will be rolling out a new public education campaign this year on these good commuting habits, such as keeping left on paths to allow others to pass safely. This complements other existing efforts, such as awareness campaigns, community and school engagements. Since 2016, volunteers have carried out community patrols under the Active Mobility Patrol scheme to educate pedestrians and device users on safe and gracious path behaviour. As of December 2020, more than 1,000 volunteers from 72 teams have joined the scheme to serve as path ambassadors. They will continue their efforts and we certainly welcome more volunteers to create a stronger presence on the ground. LTA has in-house transport researchers who conduct research and study ways to design infrastructure and programmes to encourage positive commuter behavioural changes, including those related to active mobility. LTA also collects feedback from perception surveys and trials, which are used to inform LTA's outreach plans and public education messages.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission for the Minister for Transport to take Question No 3 through to Question No 8 in his Ministerial Statement later in the Sitting, please.”
“The skies have turned bluer, we see more rainbows and more wildlife around us. One day, this pandemic will be over. Hopefully, we will be wiser to know what the truly important things are in our lives. [Applause.]”
“In a stadium, audience can enjoy the sound system, lighting effects, air-conditioning or even the refreshments sold there. But when we are watching an online concert, it becomes our own responsibility to ensure that we have a conducive environment to enjoy the concert, and we cannot complain about it. So, in the new normal, when almost everyone is affected by the pandemic, we all share a common enemy. We must stand united against this same enemy. Each of us will have to do our part to get out of this crisis. Recently, a netizen complained to me that it is not fair that he could not qualify for SIRS because his wife earned more than $70,000. He said that that is his wife’s money, not his. Well, I understand for many couples or maybe some couples, the husband’s money belongs to the wife money, but the wife’s money is hers. But during difficult times, we should turn to our immediate family for help and support, especially if they have the means. The Government is not our spouse, not our parents, not our children. I have also received some appeals for financial assistance for the various schemes under the four Budgets on the basis because their friends got it, not because they are in financial difficulties and need the money. Madam, the Government has dug into our current and past reserves for the four Budgets. Likewise, we should also tap into our own reserves. Our reserves are not just our personal savings; but our reserves are our reservoirs of concern and care for our family and loved ones, compassion and empathy for others, especially the more vulnerable, and the mental strength to overcome adversity. Over the last few months, we stayed at home more, spent more time with our family, and forged closer ties with our loved ones.”
“However, with hundreds of thousands of online tickets sold, the total revenue reached almost S$26 million, just for one performance. Good news for BTS fans, they have announced an "offline and online" concert in October and, this time, there will be some limited seating for live audience. So, they are also not sitting on laurels and are now moving on with a new formula. Certainly, talent, showmanship and popularity are key to their success. But it is also the willingness and out-of-the-box thinking to reformat the concert that made it possible, to be accessible and profitable, probably more so than a physical concert. Hence, I urge businesses to seriously think about their own future in a different world. By all means, make good use of the Government’s help to stay afloat and retain your staff. But if a business is surviving just because of the Government’s help, it is probably not going to last very long. Businessmen and entrepreneurs have the natural instinct to adapt and to sniff out new opportunities. This is what the commercial world is good in, and that is not the forte of the Government. The Government can help by being open and supportive, or even more open and more supportive, and we should not stand in the way for new and creative ways of doing and trying out business. As consumers and members of the public, we must also do our part in a different world. While there were netizens who complained about needing to pay for the BTS concert, many fans who tuned in found that it was really worth the price. For a fraction of what they used to pay, they can get up close and enjoy a different experience watching their idols. Of course, they must accept that the screen on their device cannot compare with the set-up in a concert venue.”
“The CPF has been built around an employer-employee model where both parties contribute a part. However, SEPs do not have any employer and most do not make their own contribution except maybe for their MediSave. Many Government support schemes, like the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS), are based on CPF contributions and, inevitably, SEPs who do not contribute will not qualify easily. They may not even be captured in our system or be counted in any statistics. Unlike employees of a company, they also do not have HR or Finance departments to help them. There is, naturally, a high inertia for them coming on board the CPF. So, I applaud the MOM for piloting the Contribute-As-You-Earn (CAYE) scheme to help SEPs with their MediSave contributions. However, we need to do more and to do better to explain the CPF system to SEPs and encourage or even incentivise them to make contributions so that they can benefit from this national system. Let me move to business. As a commercial entity, whether MNC, SME, social enterprise or sole proprietorship, its primary objective has to be sustainable and profitable. But when the industry, technology or consumer preferences change, the business model has to evolve. For example, the music industry has gone through and survived the vinyl record, cassette tape and CD eras into digital music. To supplement the lower revenue from digital music, singers and musicians have to do live performances and concerts. However, it is unlikely that large scale concerts will be resumed anytime soon. So, the BTS concert example demonstrated that an online concert can be commercially viable, too. The ticket price for the online concert was about S$35, just 5% of the average price of a BTS concert in 2018.”
“Besides arts freelancers, it has helped sports coaches, taxi and private hire car drivers, food delivery riders, tourist guides, home bakers and many others making different livelihoods. While NTUC has stepped up to help administer the scheme, I hope the Government would proactively gather useful knowledge from NTUC’s experience on the many different ways that SEPs are operating. Even before COVID-19, the gig economy has been growing. During and after the pandemic, there will be and have to be new ways to make an honest living, other than working for an employer. Our rules and policies should not unnecessarily disadvantage people who are not in the formal employment that we are used to. The Government will have to be nimbler in offering different “venues” so that “virtual concerts and other new formats” could be staged. The stadium might have to be "broken up into smaller modular spaces". In terms of Government policies, I hope we can take a look at the CPF system. It was set up to help build financial adequacy for citizens in retirement. Over the decades, it has become intertwined with financial provisions for housing, healthcare and education. It has become a very complicated system that many people unfortunately do not understand the full benefits. Once, a resident wanted to appeal for early withdrawal from her Retirement Account (RA) to settle some personal loans. She was honest enough to tell me that, actually, she has savings in a fixed deposit account. But she did not want to touch it because she does not want to lose the interest. So, when I shared with her that she is actually getting up to 6% interest in her RA which is probably much higher than what the bank would pay her, she immediately changed her mind.”
“The show reached a peak of 756,000 concurrent paid viewers in 107 countries and territories. The 100-minute show allowed fans to enter and navigate through BTS’ virtual house, where they could choose close ups and full shots among six multi-view screens playing simultaneously and enjoy the group’s highly choreographed performance of 12 songs. There were also intermission-type talk segments, similar to a physical concert. The successful transformation from a conventional to an online concert calls for mind-set changes and innovation. Let me draw some analogies between this concert and the approach that the Government, business sector and people could adopt to address the challenges in a COVID-19 and hopefully soon to come, post-COVID-19 world. The BTS concert’s paid viewership was the equivalent to 15 shows at a 50,000-seat stadium, but the concert was streamed from a much smaller venue, a studio in Seoul. The concert venue is like the environment and infrastructure provided by the government for companies to do business and for people to make a living and to lead their lives. With an economy built largely by MNC and enterprise investments, the Singapore workforce has for many years, been trained to find a good job, work hard for a promotion and salary rise, or change job when there is a better opportunity and higher pay. That is, to be an employee with a company. I am glad and heartened that among its extensive range of assistance schemes to help businesses and people cope with the pandemic, the government came out with SIRS to specifically help self-employed persons – people who do not have a formal relationship with any employer. In 2007, I spoke about the freelancers in the arts sector. Thirteen years later today, some 180,000 people have been helped by SIRS.”
“They will find opportunities amidst the crisis and eventually emerge victorious by creating history. Indeed, to survive, you must be brave enough to change. You must not be afraid to change. You must even embrace the changes. I will give an example. Not long ago, K-pop boy band BTS held a virtual concert during the pandemic. They transformed a physical concert with limited capacity into an online concert with limitless reach. This breakthrough in thinking resulted in the concert selling 750,000 tickets, which is equivalent to holding 15 concerts in normal times. In this crisis, we have to face the key element of survival, and that is the change in the mindset. Our people have to change; our businesses have to change; our Government has to change. What we have to do is to re-shape a new Singapore that is vibrant, full of opportunities, full of vitality and wisdom. In this process, we need more synergies from the top to the bottom, and vice versa. This includes tolerance, openness and support from the Government as well as trust, buy-in and participation from the people. Only when the whole nation works together as co-creators can we overcome the difficulties together and once again create the next chapter for Singapore. (In English): As the world shut down and more people stayed at home in our battle against COVID-19, many people turned to the Internet for information, services and entertainment. Many of these online offerings tend to be available free of charge or supported by public funds. The same problem faced by media companies for many years with a weak business model for online content still exists today. However, a virtual concert streamed by K-pop boyband BTS in June turned out to be the world's largest paid online music event.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. I will first speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The sudden and unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has completely changed the global environment, economic activities as well as our lifestyles. More importantly, it has forced us to re-position ourselves under this new normal, and reconsider the mode of survival and thinking, in the context of country to country, people to people, and how people relate to themselves. Fifty five years ago, when Singapore was forced to become independent, we were like an abandoned baby and no one expected this tiny country with its inherent inadequacies to survive miraculously. But we not only survived but thrived. Yes, it is the hard work and the wisdom of our forefathers that have made Singapore what it is today. We have limited land and our natural resources are even less, an innate condition that cannot be changed. However, these constraints did not stop our creativity from expanding. Even without domestic flights, Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines have become world-renowned leaders. Of the world's largest container terminals, four out of the top five are in China which has a huge market. Singapore, with its very minuscule market, managed to occupy a place among them. Today, the world's situation has changed. COVID-19 has turned every country into an abandoned baby, and the world is facing a serious pandemic. Every country seems ill-prepared. Drastic economic downturns and the challenges that follow have caused many people to complain or feel lost, anxious and even panic. History tells us that with each crisis, there will be some people who will be ruthlessly eliminated, but others will be able to clench their teeth and go against the tide.”
“Indeed, the buskers form part of the arts community that NAC and MCCY have been reaching out to. We are aware that buskers are also affected because they are not able to perform in open spaces now. Recently, as part of our youth outreach initiative through *SCAPE, they have provided an online platform for buskers to perform and reach online viewers. We have gotten response that through the online platform, they have been able to perform to a wider community; and hopefully, this will also become their fans and supporters in the post-COVID-19 period. We continue to look out for the needs of the various members of the arts community, including the buskers, and see how we can help them better.”
“Mr Speaker, the arts and culture can uplift our spirits in these difficult times, provide comfort, and sustain our emotional and physical well-being. The warm response from viewers to online content of past shows by groups such as Pangdemonium and Nine Years Theatre, as well as programmes for children by The Storytelling Centre and Artground, is testament to the power and value of the arts. I urge larger and more established groups with deeper capabilities to help the smaller ones and individual practitioners, and ask that corporations, foundations and members of the public continue supporting the arts.”
“For example, the Capability Development Scheme for the Arts (CDSA) supports training programmes until 31 December 2020. A key component of the ACRP is the Digitalisation Fund. It supports digital commissions and new works to be showcased at our major festivals such as Silver Arts, Singapore Writers Festival and Singapore Art Week. To date, eight commissions with key partners such as Lianhe Zaobao, Hear65 and VIDDSEE have been lined up in the coming months under the #SGCultureAnywhere campaign. Projects have also benefited from the Digital Presentation Grant for the Arts, such as the Jazz Association Singapore’s well-received online concert in celebration of UNESCO International Jazz Day on 30 April 2020, which attracted almost 100,000 viewers locally and abroad. Since applications opened on 14 April 2020, 62 projects have been supported. Overall, the Digitalisation Fund aims to generate over 1,000 opportunities for cultural and related practitioners, including in the post-Circuit Breaker period. The allocation for each area of support under the ACRP will depend on the evolving national situation, as well as the needs and demands of the arts and culture community. Another component of the ACRP is the CDSA, which enables our cultural practitioners to access a wide range of subsidised courses, including online programmes, as well as providing income to those who are trainers themselves. Since the CDSA opened on 16 March 2020, 163 training programmes have been supported. I am heartened that many of our experienced artists and cultural practitioners, such as Maestro Yeh Tsung, Chong Tze Chien and Checkpoint Theatre, have stepped forward to share their experience through virtual masterclasses and online training.”
“Thank you. The arts and culture community, like many other sectors, has been significantly affected by COVID-19. The Government has introduced support measures under the Unity, Resilience and Solidarity Budgets to protect livelihoods, help businesses overcome immediate challenges and strengthen economic and social resilience during this period, including the extended circuit breaker. Artists and arts groups can tap on these broad-based measures such as the Enhanced Jobs Support Scheme (JSS), SEP Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) and COVID-19 Support Grant. They can also defer income tax payments and mortgage instalments, as well as seek rental relief for commercial or industrial property leases. Besides the above generic schemes under the three Budgets, NAC has committed to sustained levels of funding to arts organisations under the Major Company and Seed Grant schemes. To plan ahead for the post-COVID-19 recovery, NAC’s regular project grants, including those for art creation and research, continue to be available. Our practitioners have also given us feedback that they want to undertake meaningful work, rather than receive direct hand-outs. The $55 million Arts and Culture Resilience Package (ACRP) announced by Minister Grace Fu on 7 April 2020 will provide additional support to the arts and culture community. ACRP plays a complementary role by supporting our cultural practitioners to develop resilience and position our sector well for the future. The ACRP seeks to protect the arts and culture ecosystem and will provide support and opportunities for our cultural organisations and practitioners until the end of the year, while encouraging the development of longer term capabilities that will help the community emerge stronger after COVID-19.”
“Sir, there is no regulation for mothers to be covered up while nursing their babies on trains and buses.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as in my reply, there is no prohibition. Mothers are allowed to breastfeed their babies and children on buses and trains. We will advise the PTOs to be clearer in their websites or FAQs so that mothers are not deterred from doing so.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, breastfeeding is not prohibited on our public buses and trains. For those who prefer privacy while breastfeeding, we provide nursing rooms at key transport nodes and will continue to build more.”
“They would already be commissioned works and therefore, AHL – the organiser of SIFA – would already be working with them on their costs.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Ho for the questions. On presenting a digital format of SIFA 2020, as mentioned in my reply, the Festival Director is already in talks with the local production companies on how they could re-purpose or adapt their works planned for this SIFA into a digital format, but probably in different versions because performing arts is best enjoyed live, in front of you on stage, in a live situation, with live audiences. So, we would have to respect how they would think their works can be best presented and we do encourage them to explore innovative ways, including digital means, to showcase their talents and their works to the audiences. In terms of local talents involved in SIFA, that has been the mandate and vision of SIFA over the years. Being a pinnacle arts festival of Singapore, we would like SIFA to allow our talents to showcase the creativity, their works, their talents, but also the chance to interact with overseas performers and arts groups. So, for example, for the last two editions in 2018 and 2019, we have local artists involved in half of all the productions and programmes, and that will continue to be the case for future SIFA editions. As to encouraging audiences who have bought tickets for SIFA to donate the ticket refunds to the arts, yes, I think that would be a good suggestion that AHL could perhaps look at in terms of a platform. But giving to Giving.sg is already a platform for all to donate to a cause or a particular beneficiary of their choice. But I would just like to also clarify that, for example, the local productions for SIFA are all local commissions. So, the refund of tickets does not have any impact on the ticketing revenue for these groups.”
“Integration. Yes, integration between the main sports and the para sports. I think the challenge fund is something we could look into to promote integration. Ultimately, it is up to the respective associations, whether they want to work together, and I know that sometimes they also take guidance from their International Federations. But we would pay more attention to this.”
“I thank Ms Yip for her suggestions. On how we can better improve the mental well-being support for athletes or retired athletes, she suggested having a clinical psychologist to be part of the team to provide such services. Let us discuss with the team to see how we can further enhance the expertise so that our athletes can benefit from that kind of services. I thank her for that. As for how we can help NSAs to develop fund-raising capabilities, beyond sponsorships, I think that is a key area of expertise that we would also like to see in our NSAs. Not only NSAs, our arts groups as well to have the ability to look for and retain their sponsors, their donors and how to promote philanthropy for their sector as a whole. So, our funds, CMF or OTSF is just a catalyst to encourage that and we would look at how we can provide more support to enable our NSAs to develop that kind of capability. The Member had one more.”
“Goal 2034 is a goal set by FAS. It is not a goal set by the Government. So, the role of the Government is to support NSAs where possible. We have asked FAS for a briefing on how they aim to achieve the goal. We are in a discussion and we have given some inputs that they may want to look at their mid-term and long-term development plans for youths in order to achieve Goal 2034. I understand that FAS has taken the feedback and they are in the midst of talking to other stakeholders to further refine this vision. We look forward to FAS sharing plans on how it would achieve or aim to achieve Goal 2034.”
“So, we hope that we will continue to be able to work on this to make it such that going to sports, cheering for athletes would become a way of life for many of our Singaporeans. As to the relationship between Sport SG and NSAs in areas where Sport SG provides funding for the NSAs to roll out their respective programmes, I think that is where we have the biggest interest because we are using public money, taxpayers' money for sport NSAs. Therefore, things like governance where it is not reflected in the constitution or where there is a lack of rules and regulations or by-laws that does not assure the Government of a structure to make ensure proper accountability, that is where Sports SG will take a keen interest and even direct certain changes in the NSAs. As to the other programmes, we would leave it to the NSAs to set the targets, to roll out the programmes as long as it is beneficial for the sports scene. In areas where public money is concerned, we would definitely take a much closer look.”
“On the Somerset Belt, last year we went through a long process, engaging many youths on developing a master plan for the Somerset Belt as a place where youths can gather, realise their aspirations. We have completed the work. We were planning to announce it a few weeks ago. But because of the COVID-19 situation, we thought that it may not be a good thing to have that kind of announcement. So, we are planning for some time later this month. Following that, we will also be doing some pilots for the type of programming, activities that would rejuvenate the Somerset Belt; programmes that are relevant and interesting for young people throughout the year. So, it is an evolving plan and we look forward to more youth engagement and participation to help us further develop and realise the master plan. Mr Yam also asked about how we could increase the interest of the public in competitive sport events, especially with the attendance numbers. I think that is where we would first like to develop a strong sporting and interest in sports, as a whole, as a nation. 1.30 pm For specific events, we will then have to work closely with the event organiser or the respective NSAs on how to make their sports spectator experience a meaningful and interesting one. SportSG has worked at the national-level events, to institute a certain format of the venue atmosphere in terms of how athletes are introduced as they enter the courts or the match venue, in terms of the results announcement, and medal presentation – these have all helped to make it look more professional and also sustain the interest among public. We also work with the schools because a lot of the students do enjoy the sporting competitions at the school level.”