Cedric Foo Chee Keng
Singapore
“Chairman, indeed digital technology will be a key enabler for a brighter future for Singapore. Listening to Senior Minister of State, Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Dr Janil and Minister Iswaran, I am sure my colleagues share my view that we are in good hands.”
“Chairman, some months ago, we had a healthy discussion between Mr Pritam Singh and myself about POFMA; whether the Judiciary is best party to act, or whether the Executive branch is better placed to act on the issuance of Correction Notices. I think the recent COVID-19 outbreak is a good example of when to use POFMA.”
“Mr Chairman, my cut is to ask about the tangible benefits to citizens and local businesses arising from our Smart Nation initiatives. Digitalisation has opened up new possibilities for businesses and for our society.”
“I am also particularly concerned with school children from lower income families who may not be able to afford a computer or broadband access at home. In today’s learning environment, a computer and broadband access are like "paper and pen" of the past and, therefore, no child should be denied that.”
“Chairman, this question is for Minister Chan. Historically, many Government agencies and Ministries design systems and processes from their points of view. I think the public will be well served if Government agencies can think "the other way around" and try to design processes from the citizens' or businesses' points of view.”
“Yes, probably the last engagement to give others a chance to speak. POHA is for private matters, and if somebody felt that they had been harassed, as a private individual, they will go to the Courts.”
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“Mr Chairman, my cut today is on the digital economy as well. Over the last two decades, digital computing technologies have rapidly changed the world, with far-ranging implications on businesses and consumers. Particularly, the pace of adoption of digital technologies has accelerated over the recent years. Adoption of digital technologies has resulted in a very connected world, empowering individuals and transforming how businesses and governments operate. There are many benefits to a digital economy. Higher productivity, enhanced quality of life, better jobs, and the list goes on. There are many reasons to be optimistic about Singapore’s future in such an economy if we get a few core strategies right. This is a subject which I will return to discuss later. First, why am I optimistic? Traditional factors of production like land, labour and capital will no longer constrain the economic expansion of a small island state like Singapore. The Worldwide Web will be our land. Goods can be produced and can be sold anywhere through e-commerce. Through the Internet, we can also access labour anywhere. American high school teachers are teaching English Language to primary school students in China through the Internet. This has become a thriving business for companies like VIPKID, which provides international elementary school experience to half a million registered Chinese students online. Capital can be raised in any stock exchanges through angel investors, venture capitalists or even through crowdfunding. All one needs is a sound business idea and persuasive skills. So, instead of land, labour and capital as traditional factors of production, we are now seeing a new factor of production. And this is data. For machine learning and AI to thrive, one would need datasets.”
“Hence, I would like to ask the Minister how has MINDEF continued in its efforts to recognise the contributions of our NSmen. ACCORD was established by MINDEF in 1984 as a channel for the community to provide feedback on issues concerning Singapore’s defence. In 2014, it was restructured to comprise the ACCORD main council and three sub-councils covering Employer and Business Council, Family and Community, and Educational Institutions. I would like to ask the Minister to provide an update on the initiatives implemented by ACCORD. SkillsFuture for NS men”
“Mr Chairman, my cut is on MINDEF’s efforts to recognise the contributions of our NSmen and the initiatives undertaken by ACCORD to increase the public’s awareness of NS. SAF underwrites Singapore’s sovereignty upon which all Singaporeans can live in peace, and secure in the knowledge that Singapore is well-protected. NS is a duty for all male Singaporeans and second-generation PRs. It is the cornerstone of Singapore’s defence and security. For many Singaporean males, NS is a rite of passage at about 18 years of age, where he leaves the comforts of home and takes on the commitment of defending his country, his family and friends. After the initial two years of full-time commitment in NS, the NSF transitions to ORNS duties as NSmen, and this is about 10 years in length. During this time, our NSmen will have to juggle career and family commitments as well as their national defence duties. Therefore, it would be right and necessary for us to recognise the contributions of our NSmen. Just last year, we celebrated NS50, where the whole nation came together to thank successive generations of NSmen for their contributions to our nation’s defence over the years. Singaporeans from all walks of life took the opportunity to recommit themselves to play their part to protect our Independence, values and way of life. I am sure that many of our NSmen, past and present, benefited from the various NS50 promotions and offers, generously supported by the private sector as well, who understood the importance of national defence. Yet, this widespread show of support across the public and private spheres should not be a one-off or should not be limited to milestone years alone. Our NSmen must continue to know that their sacrifices to serve NS are appreciated and not taken for granted.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, on resources for MFA, geopolitical developments happen around the clock and are often unpredictable in nature. Our civil servants from MFA have the unenviable task of regularly monitoring global geopolitics 24/7 so as to provide timely and well-considered responses. As Chair of ASEAN in 2018 this year, Singapore will have to take on more responsibilities, playing host to the ASEAN member states and key partners at many high-level meetings in Singapore. MFA officers will have to react round-the-clock to develop and coordinate well with fellow ASEAN member states and key partners, as well as across the entire Singapore Government, in order to ensure a successful chairmanship. This is important so that Singapore's chairmanship can produce progress in regional cooperation that benefits Singapore and also other ASEAN states. Given the demands placed on MFA, particularly this year, does MFA have the necessary resources to carry out its work with adroitness and sensitivity, as they always have? Human Resource Challenges of MFA”
“Mr Chairman, my cut is on Singapore's relations with Japan and the Republic of Korea and how we can improve cooperation with these countries for mutual benefit. Singapore has excellent relations with Japan and Korea. However, such good state of affairs needs to be nurtured continually. Over the past year, I would like to ask the Minister whether there have been high level exchanges for both Japan and Korea. Additionally, were there also business-to-business and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Korea on the one hand, and Singapore on the other? Many Japanese and Korean companies have also made investments and set up offices in Singapore to tap the growing Southeast Asia market. Singapore is also host to many Japanese and Koreans living, working and schooling here. Similarly, some Singaporeans are also drawn to study and work in Japan and Korea, embracing their culture and bringing back with them many valuable experiences. I would like to ask the Minister on the areas in which Singapore can improve our cooperation with Japan and Korea. For example, both Japan and Singapore are experiencing ageing societies. I think there are many lessons we can learn from each other. Both Korea and Japan are also technologically advanced countries. They have many global leading companies. Is Singapore looking into avenues where these companies can partner our local enterprises, especially our small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to access their respective markets and even to partner with to access third countries' markets? Relations with Australia”
“The digital economy offers even more avenues for citizens to interact with the Government in ways that were not possible in the past. There is this "Moments of Life" project, a strategic initiative that bundles relevant Government services across all agencies based on milestones of a citizen's life, that has been announced. I applaud this effort and look forward to hearing from the Minister an update on this very interesting project. Another area which is often in the way of innovation is policies, rules and regulations. Some of these are necessary and remain relevant. But many are out-of-date and are in need of urgent review. Chairman, being part of an efficient Public Service also involves cutting red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy. Externally, this improves Government services. Internally, it avoids officers being bogged down by unnecessary administration instead of focusing on higher value-added work. I would like to ask how the Public Service intends to review its rules, regulations and internal processes to improve productivity and staff empowerment. 1.30 pm”
“Mr Chairman, my cut today is to discuss whether our Public Service can be more innovative. We start from an enviable position. We have the Public Service Commission (PSC), which has, over the years, helped build an efficient, honest and talented Public Service sector. Nevertheless, there are some areas that our public sector needs to pay close attention to. Over time, complacency can set in. Cross-Ministry and cross-agency collaboration is sometimes challenging. Citizens are also now expecting more from governments as innovation and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the private sector have enhanced many of their experiences. More importantly, other governments have leap-frogged and have improved their interactions with their citizens with the advent of new technologies. Therefore, our public sector, good as they are, must also up its game. Another important reason for the public sector to improve efficiency and productivity, as many of my colleagues have pointed out, is the fact that a tax increase has been announced. It behooves the Government to deploy resources productively and, indeed, to innovate almost as a habit, and at every citizen and enterprise touchpoint. The private sector offers some good examples of how this can be done, such as centralised procurement and also shared service centres. With centralised procurement through aggregating demand across Ministries and agencies, cost savings can be had. Shared service centre, in the areas of information technology (IT), human resources (HR), finance, facility management and so on, can also provide significant productivity benefits as there is standardisation of processes as well as economies of scale.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. Indeed, I agree that last-mile connectivity and inter-operability are very important and I would like to volunteer Jurong West as the pilot site for the Ministry to implement federated locker network system.”
“It is said that "it is not the strongest of species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change". So, it is good to hear that MOE and the IHLs are offering many modular courses. Many a time, one needs inter-disciplinary skills to achieve effective solutions for the customers. May I know if the cost and availability of such courses are made known so that consumers can access them? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. I agree that we need to make sure that our courses are widely spread out in terms of the outreach as well as communication to the people. I want to assure the Member that we have been doing this, not only with the AUs and the Polytechnics, but we have also been doing this with all the training providers. We will continue this approach and process to make sure that we want to facilitate how we want to change the educational landscape in the future. We are at the beginning stage; I am confident we will be able to do that with the support of partners and all our education institutions.”
“Can the Minister advise on the length the short-term stays and whether it is adequate?”
“Madam, can I ask the Minister whether it also makes sense, on top of the number of tenants, to review the length of tenancy that HDB will allow, because a high turnover of tenants also creates a lot of disamenities?”
“I support the Bill because it levels the playing field for payment of stamp duties. May I ask the Minister what impact this Bill would have on the property market? In other words, how prevalent is this PHE practice and would this Bill result in sudden movements in the market?”
“About this SAFTI new training area revamp, I think it is a great idea and overdue. At the same time, I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider two points. One is when we move the grounds and put up new buildings and all that, that we do not lose the history and the old names that were used in the old training grounds. We will do us a big disservice if Peng Kang Hill is changed to another name. Secondly, because we are building it from scratch, we now have the ability not just to make sure that it is productive and combat-effective, we can also think about solders' safety and see how we can weave it into the design.”
“Can the Minister highlight what other NS recognition programmes and how else we can do to make NS more fulfilling for our NSmen?”
“Madam, NS is a sacred duty for all male Singaporean Citizens and second-generation Permanent Residents. It is the cornerstone of Singapore's defence and security. For many Singaporean men, it is a rite of passage where he leaves the comforts of his home at the young age of 18 and takes on the commitment of defending his country, family and friends. Men, regardless of social status, race or religion, train hand in hand, look out for one another and overcome challenging tasks as one people. This "social glue" that is forged through NS is, indeed, a precious outcome for the country. Given that NSmen give their time to train and defend this nation, it would be right for MINDEF to improve the NS experience. How have MINDEF done this over the years and are there recent initiatives to improve NSmen's engagement and fulfilment? The NS Orbat (Order of Battle) is understandably different because its mission is different from the civilian sector, and we draw the entire cohort of men from the civilian sector. However, to the extent that we can match the private sector interest of the NSmen to their NS vocation, MINDEF will get more out of them, and they more out of NS. Given the importance of our NSmen to Singapore, we, no doubt, should recognise their contributions and efforts. In fact, we should go further and also recognise those who supported them through NS ‒ parents, spouses, girlfriends and so forth. I am all for SAF Reservists Association (SAFRA) membership recognition and for also highlighting NS contributions to their employers. I think that has gone a long way to recognising them. But as for monetary rewards, I am ambivalent. We ought to strike the right balance, lest we reduce NS duty to a mere commercial transaction.”
“Mdm Chair, in 1965, Singapore became an Independent state. We set up SAF soon after that. Over the years, we have continually modernised SAF which gave rise to the Second Generation SAF in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2004, we created the Third Generation (3G) SAF. This transformation journey upgraded our systems to becoming an advanced networked force with leading-edge capabilities. Today, the threats facing Singapore have, indeed, expanded. SAF remains more important than ever to defend Singapore against a broad array of such threats. Even as the threats have broadened, the Singaporean manpower that SAF can draw upon will soon shrink as our total fertility rate has been low for many years. How would SAF do more with less manpower available to it? How have we leveraged on technologies, as Mr Vikram Nair has spoken about, to improve our productivity, combat effectiveness and, of course, expand the number of marksmen? Can the Minister provide an overview of the SAF's capabilities and readiness on land, at sea and in the air, and, indeed, in space through satellites, to effectively defend Singapore against such a broad array of threats? MINDEF will have many busy years ahead. Resource Challenges”
“Cyber terrorism can also potentially cripple us in Singapore as we leverage the Internet and conduct increasingly a large part of our daily lives on the Net. I would also like to ask the Minister how MINDEF and other Government agencies, such as the Cyber Security Agency (CSA), GovTech and so on, are preparing to strengthen our cybersecurity, and what measures are in place to mitigate the damage if breached? Cyberattacks and Cybersecurity Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef: Chairman, in the Mumbai terrorist bombing incident not too long ago, the use of mobile telephones and electronic devices featured strongly in the coordination and execution phases. Cyberattacks are, indeed, growing in volume by the day and pose very complex and unique challenges. The emergence of sophisticated information systems has, indeed, transformed the world we live in today. Cyber threats do not fit in readily into the traditional security framework that exists in most modern states today. New approaches are crucial and the appropriate and balanced role of the military is central to this. The work from King's College London breaks down these threats into: (a) espionage, (b) subversion, (c) sabotage, (d) cybercrime and, finally, (e) cyber war, which is less common. The military response is not the only response but part of a concerted and consolidated approach, including legal and political responses and so on. How is MINDEF approaching this issue and also how is it being coordinated with other agencies in Singapore, such as the law enforcement agencies that we have here? How does this framework fit into our national cybersecurity ecosystem? Investing in Defence Technology”
“Madam, today's threats facing Singapore have broadened, as others before me have spoken about. Beyond conventional war, there are areas, including terrorism, cybersecurity, pandemic management, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The year 2016 alone has seen a wide spate of terror attacks around the world. Closer to home, Singapore itself has been targeted by the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in the aftermath of 9/11, and also in August last year by a militant group planning to launch a rocket at Singapore's Marina Bay. The unveiling of this foiled terrorist attack highlighted the real possibility of future terrorist attacks in Singapore. The training syllabus of National Servicemen (NSmen) and full-time National Servicemen (NSFs), as some of us know it, was largely based on conventional armed conflict. I would like to know if the syllabus has since been updated to cover these new areas of threats and challenges. Specifically, I would like to ask the Minister if MINDEF has put in sufficient preparations such that our Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel are trained for roles in counterterrorism and are equipped with the necessary intelligence, skillsets, technology and equipment to deal with terrorism. More importantly, in the event of an attack in Singapore, are our servicemen trained to deal with its aftermath? Indeed, is our population prepared to deal with such an aftermath and relief efforts? Cybersecurity, as others have pointed out, is also particularly important to Singapore because our vision is to become an even smarter city. The recent breach of our I-net system clearly illustrated our vulnerability and showed us how hard it is to defend against determined hackers.”
“Many Singaporeans also visit China for business and leisure. Notwithstanding the strong and broad political, economic and social ties between the two countries, there would be occasional differences. How would Singapore manage these differences? Ultimately, a prosperous and successful China which remains engaged in this region will augur well for the balance of power and, therefore, improve the stability for the region. Singapore is also currently designated as the Coordinator for ASEAN-China dialogue. How can we play a constructive and useful role in bringing about better understanding and rapport between the two parties? Would the Minister share with this House MFA's intended approach in this regard?”
“He has also said that he wants to narrow the US trade deficits with countries, such as China, Germany, Japan, and may, indeed, adopt a protectionist posture with hefty import tariffs. Fortunately for Singapore, the US actually has a trade surplus with us. The question to the Minister is on the implications on Singapore which relies heavily on open and free trade. Also, does the Minister see new opportunities for Singapore to be working even closer with the new US administration for mutual benefit? Singapore-China Relations Chairman, I move on to the next cut on Singapore-China relations and also Singapore's role as the coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue. Relations between Singapore and China have been good for many years. More than 20 years ago, back in 1994, the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park joint venture was formed. This represented the first G-to-G economic cooperation project of its kind and on a scale not commonly seen. This was followed by the Tianjin Eco-city Project in 2007 and, now, the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative. Singapore is one of China's largest foreign investors. In fact, I think it is the largest foreign investor in China. To deepen economic cooperation further, a slew of projects was recently signed at the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation meeting co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Cee Hean and Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli. Beyond economic cooperation, Singapore-China relations are also complemented by collaboration between the Civil Service College here and China's Tsinghua University for the training and development of public policy leaders. People-to-people ties and cultural roots are also deep and strong. China tourists to Singapore increased to 2.86 million last year.”
“Chairman, my next cut is on the outlook for Singapore-US relations. Singapore has a long history of strong and close bilateral relationship with the US. We cooperate in many areas for mutual benefit. Economic ties have been one of the cornerstones of our relationship with the US. The Singapore-US FTA was implemented since 2004, one of the first FTAs signed by the US. The US is also Singapore's largest foreign investor, with investments of about $244 billion in 2015, and that accounted for 20% of Singapore's foreign direct inward investments. Many US companies have set up their regional headquarters here in Singapore, with a significant number of Americans living, working and studying here. Similarly, many Singaporeans are drawn to study and work in the US. The US has also been a firm supporter of maintaining regional peace and stability in Asia for many years, acting as a benign and constructive power. In December 2015, Singapore and the US signed the enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA). This is an update to the 2005 Singapore-US DCA and also part of the bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) between both sides. The SFA underpins the close defence and security partnership that has contributed to maintaining regional peace and stability here in this region. Chairman, all the above was prior to the US Presidential Elections in November last year. Now, with the new Trump administration and its "America First" policy, I would like to ask the Minister how he sees Singapore-US relations evolving. President Trump has also signed an executive order to withdraw the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.”
“Mdm Speaker, let me thank the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Vivian, Minister Ong and Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo for their replies to our questions on PMO. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $417,943,300 for Head U ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $70,367,200 for Head U ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for his answers on an integrated Public Service. May I ask him if the Strategy Group still constructs scenario planning − alternative futures of what Singapore may be like so that, as a Public Service, all the senior leaders are tuned into such possible common futures, to seize the opportunities as well as to deal with challenges they pose.”
“(b) execute a collaborative culture across organisations and Ministries to reduce wastage, enhance efficiency and productivity, especially in the areas of procurement, manpower and budgeting? (c) share best practices over various platforms as well as keep open communications channel? Here is where teamwork to strengthen various domains must come hand-in-hand with breaking down the unnecessary silos; and (d) be more integrated in our heartlands and the issues the man-on-the-street faces. This is also where some form of sharing of databases may be sensible, within limits of maintaining confidentiality.”
“Increasingly, as our economy matures, our strategic resources like manpower, land, energy and water must be managed better for there are trade-offs when used by one Ministry versus another. Therefore, the one-dimensional approach of just having vertical silos in Ministries may not work so well. However, matrix structures which have been practised elsewhere, may also pose its own difficulties. I think, fundamentally, it boils down to the ethos and the shared value of the Public Service, that each and every one, in whichever Ministry you may be, must think of the whole and put it before its own interest. I think, with that, Singapore will do well. I would like to ask the Minister if he can help us understand what else we can do to be an integrated Public Service. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Innovative and Integrated Public Service Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Mdm Chairman, we live in extremely challenging and exciting times. Change has to be the only constant in our lives and it is also how we transform ourselves and our mindsets to keep abreast. The Singapore Public Service is highly qualified and capable, ranks well in terms of effectiveness and regulatory quality at the global level. The staff form a part of the Public Service leadership, helping in the formulation of policies for Singapore and upholding Singaporean interests. As such, the need for robust, versatile, rapid thinking, informed and sensitive individuals is necessary. With globalisation and a more connected world, our Public Service must be prepared with resourcefulness, creativity and adaptability. How do we ensure our Public Service staff can: (a) continuously learn and develop experiential capabilities?”
“This is an area where collaboration can yield very good results. Through our various Government e-portals, there are valuable data sets that can be mined and put to good use to improve the Public Service in the areas of public transport, healthcare, urban planning and so forth. In this fast-paced digital world, our citizens are also expecting more from the Government. They expect a single point of contact and a very highly responsive service. Would it be possible one day, and hopefully soon, for Singaporeans to hold just one secure mobile app to transact − transact meaning to apply, to be informed, to pay, to receive and so on − with every Government department which is also linked to the private sector. The coordination among Government Ministries and agencies to seize opportunities in this new world and to meet the challenges that confront us can produce much better outcomes than if each Ministry worked on its own. One hallmark of Singapore's good governance has been the ability and determination to take a concerted view on how to improve Singapore for Singaporeans. It has never been about the parochial interest of a single Ministry or Government agency. This may seem obvious, but such concerted whole-of-Government approach is often not present in many countries. In several of these countries, the Minister guards his turf jealously, but not so in Singapore. Our founding leaders did so, and our current leaders must continue to do this, in order to secure Singapore's future for the next 50 or more years. To support our growth, the Public Service needs to work as "One" and also to plan for the long term, as Minister Heng Swee Keat spoke about, and even as it tends to Singapore's immediate needs.”
“Madam, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head U of the Estimates be reduced by $100." Madam, my cut is on "An Integrated Public Service". Our Public Service is, indeed, the envy of the world. It has done very well and I am even reminded of a story − there was a certain foreign government which wanted to buy an entire Statutory Board from Singapore. They have done well and I commend them for it. But even Olympians can improve, as Joseph Schooling showed us last week. Therefore, in confronting a horizon that is rapidly changing, digitising and globalising, our Public Service will do well to keep an eye on the horizon and to see how we can move with the times, so that it can remain the enviable service that so many hanker after. In the early days of nation building, each Ministry's mission was rather well-defined and each could go about its own job to achieve its mission: MND to build good flats, MINDEF to protect Singapore's sovereignty and so forth. Now, fast forward to today's digital and globalised age. Though the basic mission remains the same for each Ministry, there are many "horizontal factors" that impact how each functionally-organised vertical Ministry should fulfil its mission. Such factors cut right across, sometimes, two, three or more Ministries. Take our ageing demographic as an example. It will affect how our flats are designed, how many recruits the SAF will be able to enlist, the dependency ratio impacting retirement age, geriatric care, even burial sites and so forth. Another horizontal factor relates to procurement. Here, the Government has the ability to leverage on scale to procure more smartly if every Ministry could pool their major procurement needs centrally. One other area is data analytics.”
“May I ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether or not the strategy of MAS is towards cashless society for Singapore? It seems to me that with our mobile penetration being very high at 150%, and with eight million mobile phones within our small city-state, clearly, that should be the strategy. If so, why would ATMs matter so much in the future?”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to ask some questions. I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to bring the House back to the bigger picture. Actually, I am very glad that out of the 100% of international scholars, only 1%-5% are defaulters. For the 95% who abide by the scholarship obligations, how have they contributed to the schooling experience of Singaporeans? How have they contributed to Singapore? Can the Parliamentary Secretary talk a little bit about that?”
“From the number of CHAS cards issued, what percentage of our population is covered?”
“15 pm The Minister also noted that the TPP signatories comprise nearly 40% of world trade and account for more than 30% of Singapore's total trade. The leaders of the other TPP members also hailed the agreement, with US President Barack Obama saying that the TPP would give the US an advantage over other leading economies, naming China as one that the US would have advantage over, and it is a trade deal "that puts American workers first". However, in contrast to that view, there are many anti-TPP protesters who blocked streets in Auckland, with protesters indicating their concerns that "the TPP is less about jobs and more about big businesses and corporate greed", to borrow their words, and highlighting fears that the TPP was weighted in the US' favour. Yet, on the other hand, various US Presidential candidates have recently threatened not to recommend a ratification of the TPP by the US Congress. If anything, the views are, indeed, very varied and sometimes conflicting. Can the Minister describe exactly what benefits the TPP will usher in beyond the various free trade agreements and economic partnerships that Singapore currently already has? Is it true that the TPP is weighted in the US' favour and provides less benefits to other countries and Singapore? Most importantly, beyond benefits for corporations, what are the benefits to Singapore workers? There are some, in our midst, who are worried that such free trade agreements may mean that Singapore will open its doors more freely to other professionals coming to Singapore to work. Can the Minister clarify this issue, because I believe that these are quite of concern to many Singaporeans, especially in light of the slowing economy? TPP and Singapore Businesses”
“The underlying principles of AEC are the free flow of goods, services, investments, capital and skilled labour. Many Singapore businesses are excited about AEC as there will be lower barriers to trade and investments. AEC could also lead to the expansion of financial products and services in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and could benefit Singapore as ASEAN's regional financial hub. Conversely, there are some views here in Singapore that our workers may not benefit as they will lose jobs as other ASEAN countries attract investments to their shores. Workers here are also concerned about job losses as Singapore companies based here right now may relocate production or services to cheaper and more barrier-free ASEAN countries. Would the Minister share his views on these common fears and whether or not they are valid? What can Singapore companies and workers do to minimise the negative implications of AEC and to capitalise on the benefits offered by AEC? I do take note at this point that free-trade agreements are not necessarily a zero-sum game, as Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has spoken about just now. Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Third, Madam, is on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Mdm Chair, the TPP portends to offer many benefits to Singapore and Singaporean workers. On 4 February this year, it was signed by 12 member countries − Singapore, the United States (US), Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru. Representing Singapore in Auckland for the TPP signing was Minister Lim Hng Kiang himself, and the Minister had spoken about the benefits to Singapore investors and businesses of a more open, predictable and transparent regional marketplace. 4.”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. This is on the Government's criteria which are used when attracting and incentivising inward foreign investments into Singapore. The Economic Development Board (EDB) was established in the 1960s to assist the newly independent Singapore to create jobs for Singaporeans by attracting foreign investments to our shores. All these years, EDB has done an excellent job, successfully attracting many multinational companies to Singapore and creating many jobs for Singaporeans. However, today's economic and job considerations for Singapore are very different from past decades. Land is becoming scarcer and there is also a "social limit" in the number of foreign workers that Singapore can accommodate. Robotics, automation and offshoring are also replacing workers in many sectors, including jobs held by professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). I would, therefore, like to ask the Minister how MTI and EDB will go about addressing such factors as I have described. Most importantly, how would his Ministry seek out or attract companies and industries abroad which will best create jobs with skills requirement that matches what our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are producing and that are more resilient to automation and offshoring? If we can do this well, we can then attract the right companies to be based here to provide high-quality and more enduring jobs suited to our local conditions and also the skillsets that Singaporean workers either possess now or those skillsets that our IHLs are producing. ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Mdm Chair, next, on the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) as of 31 December last year.”
“Given that disasters will occur every now and then, whether here or abroad, I would like to ask the Minister if the SAF has sufficiently trained personnel to deploy in the event of major disasters in the region or around the world. SAF Transformation”
“Mdm Chair, my cut is on SAF's role in Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW). SAF was established in 1965, as Members know, a necessity created by Singapore's Independence, with the primary focus on providing for Singapore's external defence. Today, our 3rd Generation SAF is widely known to be well-equipped to defend Singapore against external threats. The SAF is well-respected as a strong and professional armed forces. It underwrites Singapore's sovereignty upon which all Singaporeans can live in peace and secure in the knowledge that Singapore is well-protected. However, the threats facing Singapore have broadened beyond conventional war to areas like counter-terrorism, piracy and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). Although the SAF has participated in many MOOTW operations, I believe the training syllabus of full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) and NSmen is still largely based on conventional armed conflict. So, I would like the Minister to help us to understand how the SAF is preparing to confront the new challenges that I have described. How well is the SAF prepared as regards intelligence, technology and equipment to deal with counter-terrorism? Also, would the SAF be called upon to augment the Home Team in counter-terrorism operations over and above the protection of key installations, which I understand the SAF does today? In 2015, Singapore assisted in various missions, such as fighting forest fires in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Sumatra, and also search-and-rescue operations in Nepal as a result of the earthquake. Many Singaporeans are proud of our SAF and the Home Team personnel who participated in these HADR efforts.”
“Mdm Chair, let me add to Mr Vikram Nair's cut on cybersecurity. As we know, e-commerce and communications have increased relevance in Singapore and we are becoming more and more reliant on it in the way we work, play and even in many aspects of the activities that we undertake. And particularly in Singapore, with our vision of becoming a smarter nation, cybersecurity is increasingly of concern. The spectrum of cybercrime can range from highly sophisticated syndicates or to a lone wolf hacker or even a youngster who cannot just resist the chance to crack a password or hack a computer system. An example is the Singpass hacking incident back in 2014 where a man cracked some 300 user accounts and sold personal data to a gang based in China. The purpose? To apply for visas into Singapore. This man had hacked into the user accounts simply by guessing, I guess, through an algorithm, the login passwords of these users. It is fortunate in this case that the incident did not result in even more damage. Had the cyber perpetrator been a terrorist network, more harm could be inflicted. I would like to ask the Minister how the various Government agencies and, in particular, MINDEF, coordinate with the newly formed Cyber Security Agency (CSA) under the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and the Ministry of Communications and information (MCI) to strengthen Singapore's cybersecurity. What measures are in place to prevent them? And if an attack does occur, especially affecting essential services like energy, water and banking, how would we be able to respond to them? What are our disaster recovery plans and business continuity measures? Cyber Defence”
“Mdm Chair, today's oil price based on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is about US$38 per metric tonne (MT). Many of the Middle Eastern countries would require something like US$80-plus, say, for Iran or Iraq to come out break even for their national budget. For Algeria, US$90-plus, for Saudi Arabia US$105. The Middle East may seem very far away from us, but if events there cause them to destabilise, or if the major powers of the world take their attention off the Middle East, I think it will be very bad for Singapore. So, I would like MFA's take on how low oil prices, if sustained, would affect the Middle East and, therefore, impact us.”
“Page: 105 7.00 pm Beyond the implications on organisations and individuals, there is a perception that the sustained low oil price environment has significantly influenced geopolitics. There is a widespread perception in the Middle East that the US is playing a less assertive role in the Middle East in recent times. Meanwhile, the conflicts in the Middle East have remained unresolved, while the prolonged low oil prices have also negatively affected the Middle East countries whose economies are heavily oil-dependent. So, how would these countries evolve and deal with both their economic and political problems if oil prices stay low? And would this have a spill-over effect on the region here and on Singapore? Would the Minister care to share with us on how such developments will affect Singapore? ASEAN”
“Mr Chairman, my first cut is on China-Japan-US relations. The evolving trilateral relations among China, Japan and the US are perhaps the most important and closely-watched around the world. As Singapore is an open economy, highly reliant on global trade and commerce, stability in these relations is of key importance to us. The state of trilateral relations among China, Japan and the US will significantly affect Singapore, the region and beyond. The US has been a benign and constructive power in our region for many years. The US' security alliances with Japan and South Korea have also helped to ensure East Asia's peace and prosperity. However, China's emergence has led to a shift in the major power relations and regional dynamics. Given tensions between China and Japan over historical issues and territorial disputes, the US must strike a fine balance in its relations between Japan and China. The dynamics of this relationship are complex, given the history of the Second World War and the differing governance systems in these countries. Chairman, I would like to ask the Minister if he sees the trilateral China-Japan-US relationship evolving in the light of a slowing economy, and also, if there were a change in the leadership in the US, in particular, what implications would this evolving US-China relationship have on East Asia and Singapore. Geopolitics amid Low Oil Prices Mr Chairman, my next cut is on geopolitics amid low oil prices. Crude oil has, over the last year, averaged less than US$50 per barrel, a far cry from, say, 2011 and 2014's average price of more than US$95 per barrel. This sharp slump in oil prices has already changed the behaviours of many organisations, as well as affected the daily lives of many, as all of us consume energy in one form or another.”
“As a follow-up, I think the larger question is portability of health insurance. Can the Minister address this question?”
“What about working with industry associations or unions? Individual companies arranging transport for one person may be difficult, but as an association or union, perhaps, they can cobble up enough companies and drivers to run a transport service circuit to address this location mismatch.”
“Can the Senior Member of State brief the House on counter-terrorism measures relating to air and sea and port facilities, like the air marshal programme and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS)?”
“It understands our strengths and vulnerabilities and then charts a course to take the country forward. Whilst change can be disconcerting and intimidating at times, it also presents many new opportunities, if we stay nimble. Singapore has more resources than it ever had. We can use them to protect the vulnerable groups and prepare the rest of us for what is to come. Our young are smart, well-educated and inventive. I see a Singapore future that is bright and exciting. I thank the President for his Address. Mdm Speaker, before I end, I would like to comment on what the hon Member Leon Perera spoke about. Mr Perera bemoans the low number of Opposition Members in this House. Yet, in the same breadth, he calls for open contests. He calls for more democracy. Let me remind the Member that in the last general elections, every seat, each and every one of the 89 seats was contested. That Singaporeans have voted for the PAP and also six other Opposition Members is the outcome of an open contest. I hope the Member and his party will respect that outcome. We, on our part, are humbled by the outcome and will work even harder to do well for Singaporeans. In fact, the presence of Mr Perera as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament himself was a creation of the PAP Government because it believes in diversity, as he has suggested. And it guarantees − and no other governments guarantee − that there will be at least nine Opposition Members in Parliament. On top of that, the PAP Government also introduced the Nominated Member of Parliament scheme, so, like the Member said, different segments of society and their voices can be heard and be represented in this House. Madam, I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“For vulnerable groups who are disadvantaged either through disability, ill-health, educational opportunities and so forth, we should seek to protect them, but always within the bounds of preserving our work ethic. For able-bodied Singaporeans, it would be better to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead. SkillsFuture is an excellent way forward. The programme recognises that the world is changing faster than most people can cope on their own; that learning does not end with formal education, that we all need to learn, unlearn and relearn throughout life, lest our skill sets become less valued or outright irrelevant. Having said that preparing our workforce is a more enlightened path, I am especially concerned about our professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). I believe they need a little more protection, especially against unfair employment practices. We have talked about this, where Singaporean PMETs are sidelined for other nationalities because the bosses from the same other nationality are more comfortable working with their own kind and not because we are less skilled as Singaporeans. This is prevalent in certain sectors of our economy and also in certain companies more than others. Since there are no dependency ratios for Employment Pass (EP) holders, there is little or no protection for these Singaporean PMETs. And, indeed, the space that they occupy and the work that they do are subject to wage arbitrage. It is, of course, easy to empathise with them to see the Page: 39 injustice in unfair employment practices on our own soil. Mdm Speaker, we live in a fast-changing world. We are fortunate to have a Government which is always forward-looking.”
“Genome editing will change medicine; 3D printing – I thought they print toys, but I just read that they have printed an electric car; batteries – you have heard of Elon Musk – that will be used at home and they would not look like batteries we are used to, but they may be a painting or a sofa set. These batteries will take electricity from the grid at night when the industrial needs are low. All these change the way we commute, the way we shop, the way we pay, the way we play, the way we learn and perhaps even the way we think. Such developments could be viewed as threats but, if we are nimble, they also present Singapore with many new opportunities. It is easy to become complacent with past successes or to buckle under political pressure to take it slow, to "relax", so they say. And I heard in this House, "Just be happy!" The reason why our economic thinkers in Government are somewhat "paranoid" about economic growth is because we cannot risk a hollowing out of our economy. Without economic growth, as some of my colleagues have said, and without good jobs, we cannot sustain the funding for defence, education, health care and other social programmes, especially with an ageing population. The Committee for the Future Economy, led by Minister Heng, has its work cut out. So, is the new SkillsFuture Statutory Board and the Smart Nation initiative. If we do all these well, Singaporeans will continue to live good lives. As we embark on economic transformation, we also want to avoid the pitfalls of unfettered capitalism. So, in line with such arguments, there are calls to protect our citizenry. Should our political instincts be "to protect" or "to prepare"? I think the answer is both.”
“So, production for European consumption will take place maybe in Eastern Europe or Europe itself, and production for the US will take place in Mexico, facilitated by NAFTA. This "near-sourcing" will become even more pronounced as clean energy in the form of shale gas becomes readily available in the West. This will impact areas like logistics and supply chain solutions. So, think of change in shipping routes. Change is not only happening in manufacturing, as I have described, but also in services. Professional work like accounting and legal services can be performed in lower-cost locations like India or Estonia. The output is then transmitted through low-cost fibre optics to the US, Europe or Singapore where the customer-facing takes place. Even research work and the very slick power-point presentations of major consulting firms are now produced in low-cost centres in India and they call them "knowledge centres". They like to call it "knowledge on tap" in the consultants' jargon. Many jobs that were thought to be domestic in nature are becoming tradable. In fact, many Singaporeans have haircuts in Johor Bahru. Robots, labour cost arbitrage and supply chain disruptions are but a few of the changes that are taking place. Then, there is Uber. As the Minister talked about, drones, the e-commerce wave – Page: 38 Taobao, Carousell, Apple Pay, and we have our own DBS PayLah; and Oculus Rift, the virtual reality that can bring you to face a dinosaur, dive deep into the ocean or go into outer space. Not real, but virtual reality.”
“ABB called their robots "Yumi" which stands for "You and Me (the robot)", collaborating in manufacturing. In the early 2000s, manufacturing moved to China in a big way, because environmental laws were less stringent, labour costs were low and labour relations more stable than in the West. All of these factors are changing. One would think that China which has to find jobs for a population of 1.4 billion, would not want to adopt automation or robotics. But they, the Chinese, know that, if they do not, other countries will. So, their peculiar domestic situation notwithstanding, China is embracing this new technology and, if they are successful, they will leapfrog others who are less nimble. China has an initiative called "Made in China 2025" and this is to transform the country from a "Big Manufacturing Country" to a "Powerful Manufacturing Country". Sale of industrial robots in 2014 rose 56% in China from the year before. Today, there are 25 robot-making companies, not companies using robots, but robot-making companies, in China and the plan is to have up to 200 robot-making companies. With robots, unlike humans, they work 24/7. They do not join unions who go on strikes once in a while. They do not take sick leave – maybe a couple of days a year for maintenance. They do not argue with their supervisors about work conditions. They live in the factories, literally, never once late for work. This is the type of competition that we can expect to face. We will see more robots not just in China but also in North America and Europe where a large chunk of global consumption takes place. The US economy is about maybe 60% to 70% consumption. Instead of "off-shoring" manufacturing from the US and Europe to China, the buzz word now is "near-sourcing".”
“Mdm Speaker, Members in this House have spoken about a fast-changing world and that for Singapore to survive, thrive and remain exceptional, we need to stay ahead of this curve. We have a very small domestic economy and must "plug" into the world if we are to do well. I hope, in my speech, to describe what economists and researchers see as potential changes that will confront us. Many of my colleagues here have spoken about them and I will reinforce some of those points. Not all these changes will have a big impact on us, but some definitely will. If we are not alert to them, then we risk being left behind. Going forward, some things will change linearly but probably at a faster clip as technologies from diverse fields advance and converge to produce solutions that were not possible previously. Other things will face non-linear changes brought about by disruptive technologies, that my colleague Henry Kwek talked about, the way cassette tapes or general cargo ships gave way to the iPod and container ships. Page: 37 As early as 2011, Foxconn, the electronics contract manufacturer for Apple and other electronics companies, announced its goal to replace one million workers in China with robots. It did not succeed initially because robots then were not dexterous enough and were costly. Today, many of these shortcomings in robotics have been overcome. Foxconn now deploys 50,000 robots in China, and they call these robots "Foxbots". Other companies like Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), a Swiss and Swedish joint venture, are also deep into robotics research and production. It now produces robots that can be sophisticated enough to do very micro-type circuitry assembly, and at low cost – each robot costs about the price of a car in Sweden, not in Singapore.”
“Clerk, I support the proposal. [(proc text) There being only one proposal, the Clerk then declared Mdm Halimah Yacob to have been duly elected as Speaker of this Parliament. [Applause.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Mdm Speaker, standing at the Table, made an Affirmation of Allegiance. (proc text)] [(proc text) Mdm Speaker went to the Chair and sat down. (proc text)] [(proc text) Then the Mace (which before laid below the Table) was placed on the Table. (proc text)] Page: 5”
“A contingency plan is one way to make sure that we minimise inconveniences to commuters but a breakdown on the scale of 7 July is really so large that it is probably better to make investment to try and prevent such a massive breakdown, through redundancy or isolating breakdowns to certain segments of the track, rather than to invest in an entire large-scale contingency plan. Not only have they got to find the buses, they have to find the drivers and so on. Can the Senior Minister of State comment on that?”