Chan Chun Sing
Singapore
“Since 2002, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has worked with the autonomous universities (AUs) to establish arrangements that minimise disruption to National Servicemen (NSmen) who are pursuing full-time studies up to the undergraduate level, while meeting the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) operational and training needs.”
“Secondments help to build up the range of competencies and work experiences of public officers to strengthen their longer-term employment relevance and resilience. The Public Service Division's guideline to agencies is to support public officers even while they are on secondment.”
“The priority of our National Servicemen must be their military duties and operational training, to meet the Singapore Armed Forces's (SAF's) operational requirements.”
“In January 2026, I had informed this House that the Government had convened an independent committee to conduct a review of the political salary framework that was laid out in 2012. The Committee has completed the review and submitted its recommendations to the Government in April.”
“All countries seek to develop mutually beneficial partnerships, and the United States-Indonesia Major Defence Cooperation Partnership is one such example.”
“Since the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC) was established in 2014, over 1,500 men and women have completed training and served as SAFVC Volunteers (SVs). Presently, there are about 1,100 in-service SVs, comprising 52% male and 48% female. About seven in 10 of our in-service SVs are new Citizens or Permanent Residents.”
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“These efforts will allow companies and people from around the world to do business with Singapore, through Singapore, and on Singapore platforms. Through excellent physical and digital connectivity, we can add value to the flows of capital, goods and services, not only when they are conducted in or through Singapore, but even when trade takes place elsewhere. Companies and people choose Singapore because they know they can trust Singapore and Singaporeans. When they sign a contract, they know it will be honoured and they can trust the rule of law. They site sensitive investments and valuable intellectual property here, because they know it will be protected. Innovation will be our core competitive advantage. We will strengthen the nexus between our Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Plan and our industry development plans to help enterprises innovate and grow. We will support enterprises to invest in research and development, and develop new and innovative product and service offerings. We will work with enterprises and our people to take advantage of our position at the heart of Asia. Asia is where the next billion middle-class consumers will be, and where our enterprises will find abundant growth opportunities. We must develop a deep understanding of the region, not just economically, but also culturally. This way, we can carve out a niche as a place where companies and people seek to come, to understand and take advantage of the diversity of Asian consumer tastes and preferences. We will strengthen our value proposition as a launchpad to help enterprises coming through Singapore connect with the region and the world.”
“The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) aims to create good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans by growing a vibrant economy. As a small city-state with no direct hinterland, we need to have deep connections with the rest of the world. Trade and investment links allow us to do business in the region and throughout different parts of the world. Singapore has benefited from a rules-based open multilateral trading architecture by which nations have prospered. However, this has come under pressure as workers, particularly those in the more advanced economies, feel dislocated by technology and globalisation. Some countries have taken on more protectionist and nativist attitudes towards trade and investment. We cannot close ourselves off. We have to navigate this complex economic environment deftly, by continuing to muster support from like-minded countries for an open and connected world, while seizing opportunities to deepen our linkages with growing markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and beyond. That is why we support the World Trade Organisation and why we continue to pursue and develop regional agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, as well as bilateral Free Trade and Investment agreements. Today, we are among the best-connected air and sea hubs in the world. We will continue to invest in and ensure good physical connectivity to the rest of the world. We will also enhance our connectivity with the rest of the world in the non-physical dimensions. We are one of the key financial hubs in the world and will strengthen our attributes to be a digital hub.”
“As a diverse workforce, we recognise that officers have different needs at different stages of life. We will consider more flexible practices that better suit our officers’ lifecycle needs. Transformation requires strong leadership. We will continue to invest in developing our leaders and ensure that they have the right values and skills. Diversity of skills within leadership teams is essential for keeping our system resilient against emerging challenges. We will continue to ensure a strong leadership pipeline. Our leadership development efforts have expanded to cover specialist leaders in all fields and from more diverse backgrounds. We are better equipping leaders to lead transformation efforts through coaching support, 360-degree assessments, and exposure to more diverse experiences. We will do more to hone the managerial and leadership skills of junior leaders. The Singapore Public Service aims to work in a "whole-of-Nation" manner to deliver a better future and strengthen the trust and bond between the Government and Singaporeans. We will continue to strive to be an enduring pillar for our nation’s success.”
“We will respond quickly to issues and be more efficient, innovative and productive. We will tap on digital technologies as an enabler. We will sharpen and deepen our Public Sector Transformation efforts, making use of, and responding to the disruptions brought on by new technology and business models. The heart of the Public Service lies in the dedication and abilities of our officers. PSD will continue to strengthen our Public Service values, build skills for future jobs, transform our people practices, and develop our leaders. We will build a system for our people to thrive, with shared values and aspirations for Singapore to succeed. In line with the SkillsFuture movement, we will also equip public officers with the skills necessary for tomorrow’s challenges. The Civil Service College has refreshed its training programmes and methods of delivery to meet these needs. We have restructured career paths to give officers career progression opportunities, regardless of academic qualifications. We will bring people of diverse skillsets to work together. We will also continue to build new capabilities for the Public Service to serve Singapore’s future needs. These include stronger engineering capabilities to develop our city infrastructure, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) expertise to make us a Smart Nation and Digital Government. We are training public officers in data analytics and digital literacy, so as to better understand citizens’ needs and improve public services. We value our officers and will continue to look after their needs. Agencies will adopt more flexible and inclusive hiring practices, including hiring more persons with disabilities and freelancers.”
“The Public Service Division (PSD) and all public agencies continually seek to build a better future for our nation and our people. We aspire to serve Singapore and Singaporeans well through anticipating their needs and delivering services to them in an agile and responsive manner. We will organise ourselves to serve from the people's perspective, not from agencies’ perspective; strengthen the trust and bond with Singaporeans; and uphold the Public Service values of Integrity, Service and Excellence. While we develop a long-term plan for the next lap for our Public Service, we will press on with efforts for our agencies to better deliver on the Government’s priorities. All public sector agencies are developing plans to transform their operations and services. We will further integrate the Public Service by grouping services provided by different agencies together for our citizens at key moments in their lives. We are starting with Moments-of-Life for Families, which aims to be more citizen-centric, intuitive and convenient for Singaporeans starting a family to access Government schemes. Our agencies will go beyond “whole-of-Government” and mobilise “whole-of-nation” efforts. We will partner businesses, citizens and other stakeholders to develop better solutions together. We will continue to actively reach out to others, whether overseas or in the private sector, hear their views, learn from their successes and failures, and improve ourselves along the way. We will communicate clearly and simply to the public and seek to bring everyone on board. Our comparative advantage is in anticipating needs and responding to challenges. We will sustain this advantage. We will champion innovation and testbed new ideas.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer to the first supplementary question is, yes, we are on track. The answer to the second question is, yes, we have been getting support from the local Chongqing authorities, including the neighbouring provinces that have joined the CCI-STC recently. We are also working closely with the central authorities, especially MOFCOM, to bring in more partners.”
“Through the CCI, we hope to improve the overall business environment in western China. Companies from both sides can look forward to expanding their presence into western China and Southeast Asia. International Enterprise Singapore, together with trade associations and chambers, such as the Singapore Business Federation and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), have actively engaged our companies, from MNCs to SMEs, to explore opportunities in western China. SCCCI has recently set up a representative office in Chongqing to serve Singapore businesses in Chongqing. We have seen keen interest in sectors like healthcare, tourism, eldercare and food and beverages. I hope that more companies will use the CCI platform to venture into western China.”
“This is a third of today’s alternative routes and will result in savings in logistics costs. Since December 2017, three block train services have been commissioned between Chongqing and Guangxi per week. As volumes grow, this is expected to become a daily service. Singapore’s port operator, PSA, and home-grown shipping line Pacific International Line (PIL) are also working to create more seamless rail-sea connectivity that will also help Singapore’s transshipment flows and services, for trade between western China and Southeast Asia. Mr Speaker, Sir, as opposed to the earlier G-to-G projects which had geographical boundaries, the CCI’s emphasis is on building networks. The CCI-STC is an open platform and I am glad that Chongqing’s neighbours Guangxi, Guizhou and Gansu have all come on board to jointly develop this trade corridor. We will continue to work with our Chinese counterparts, especially MOFCOM and the Chongqing leadership to engage more provinces in western China to expand this network. Improved connectivity between regions enables companies from both sides to export and import goods more efficiently to and from Southeast Asia and other parts of the world. As cross-border trade activities increase, demand for related services like finance, legal and other professional services will also increase. These, in turn, create more opportunities for our businesses and our people. For instance, Moneymax Financial Services and AP Oil International have launched a suite of financial leasing services. WiseNet Asia has also entered Chongqing to provide HR recruitment services. I am glad to note that a Singapore agri-tech startup, SmartAHC, has also developed solutions for deployment in Chongqing.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore and China enjoy strong and substantive ties and our multi-faceted cooperation have continued to evolve with the times, deepening and broadening over the years. The China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstrative Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) is a long-term Government-to-Government (G-to-G) effort that serves as a key priority demonstration project associated with China's Belt and Road Initiative. Launched in November 2015, it has made good progress in catalysing the economic development of western China and Southeast Asia by enhancing connectivity in the areas of financial services, aviation, transport and logistics and information and communications technology (ICT). Under the CCI Financial Services Pillar, cross-border financing deals totalling RMB 25.3 billion, or around S$5.2 billion, have been completed to date, providing Chongqing corporates with more financing options and raising their international profile. Aviation connectivity has also grown significantly, from five flights to 14 flights per week between Singapore and Chongqing. The CCI-Southern Transport Corridor (CCI-STC) project was established under the CCI in 2017. The corridor aims to link Chongqing to Qinzhou or Beibu Gulf, Guangxi, in the south by rail and from Qinzhou to Singapore and beyond by sea, thereby enhancing multi-modal connectivity between western China, Southeast Asia and to the rest of the world. The CCI-STC has been referred to by China’s President Xi Jinping as the international land and sea trade corridor or 国际陆海贸易新通道 that connects the overland Silk Road Economic Belt with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. For example, the CCI-STC will significantly reduce the amount of time needed to transport goods between Chongqing and Singapore to about a week.”
“Mr Chairman, we make a distinction between political outreach and political impact. All Government statutory bodies, when we execute our duties, will be serving the Government of the day to reach, to fulfil the agenda for the Government of the day. The Government of the day appoints people to help it outreach, sense the ground, respond to the ground, these are all part and parcel of Government function. For example, SportSG. SportSG conducts activities on the ground with the community partners. Is SportSG being political? No, it is not. It is fulfilling the functions of the Government of the day. Then, the Member asked, when a Statutory Board and the Government agencies do their work properly and do their work well, does it have a political impact? The answer is obvious. The Government of the day, the elected Government of the day, has to run the country and have to do its best for the citizens and to fulfil its agenda. That is why we select people to help the Government of the day to make sure that we can connect the people and to connect the people with the Government so that we can become a more responsive society and more responsive Government. There is no contradiction in that.”
“Mr Chairman, let me repeat myself: that grassroots adviser, the first thing is to advise his residents to go and see his MP for any representation. If the resident says that, on top of that, he does not want to go and see his MP, he is at liberty to go to the branch. But when he goes to the branch, he must understand that the branch chairman who writes the letter for him or helps him draft the letter and he signed it himself or gave him a cover letter, that is not a MP. Then when the agencies receive the letters, they will know that, in this particular case, who is the MP who is representing the resident and who is the NCMP or not elected MP who is helping them to draft the letter. The agencies will give the appropriate due consideration for the matter at hand.”
“Mr Chairman, many of us have multiple capacities. We sometimes write letters to our own Ministries. But there is a clear difference when you write letters as an MP, as you are performing your MP duty, your political role. If you are the Minister in charge of that Ministry, you have to consider and let your staff consider the merits of the case based on that. So, many of us will have multiple hats. But all of us, all of us, must be very clear as to how we separate those responsibilities.”
“Mr Chairman, in response to Mr Muhamad Faisal Manap's example, our advice to all our people is this: if the person stays in an Opposition ward, as in the Member's example, if he wants something to be represented to the agencies, the first recourse is to go to his MP, in this case, the Opposition MP. But in the event that the person says, "Oh, I want to go to the PAP branch", then the protocol for them is very simple. The PAP branch chairman can help you draft the letter, you can sign off the letter, we can help you send the thing, but even if the PAP branch provides the cover letter, he is not the elected MP for that constituency. And I am sure that agencies would know who the elected MP is in that constituency.”
“Mr Chairman, let me be very clear. Let us separate the Government duties from anything that connotes political outreach. The Government of the day must be very careful that whenever it spends its money, whenever it does its outreach, it does not overstep its bound to the political realm. We keep these two functions very separate. So, if there is any collaboration between the Town Council with any of the Government agencies, I think it is best to take up the case specifically. For example, I believe, in the history of Aljunied Town Council, you have worked with various Government agencies to do various things to serve the community. This includes, for example, during the dengue outbreak, I believe Aljunied Town Council worked with the National Environment Agency (NEA) for the functions that it was supposed to do. 11.45 am During the GST hike, I do not presume that the Aljunied Town Council will work with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to do outreach on explaining that, because it will put the Member in a very difficult position. So, we perfectly understand that. Where it is appropriate, the agencies will work to serve the community of the day.”
“Then, I suggest maybe you work with the respective CDC.”
“Mr Chairman, if the activity is organised by the CC, if that is what the Member is asking for, then they put their logo there; if the Town Council organises your activity, you put your logo there.”
“Mr Chairman, to make the position very clear, Government agencies do not, I say Government agencies do not, fund political outreach for any political party. Government agencies will work with various community partners to serve the needs of the community.”
“Yes, indeed, we do appoint people with diverse experiences and background to the Citizens Consultative Committees (CCCs). The key criteria are that we believe that the person can help contribute to the mission of PA, which is to bond our people and help the Government of the day which governs the country, to make us a much more responsive Government. On the collaboration with Government agencies, let me say that Government agencies will not do and conduct any activities with any political party for political outreach. Government agencies will work with community organisations to meet the needs and to serve the needs of the community where appropriate.”
“Mr Chairman, PA is a Statutory Board that supports the elected Government of the day in implementing its policies and programmes. Its mission is to promote social cohesion and racial harmony and connect the people and the Government. Through its community-bonding programmes, PA also explains and gathers citizens’ concerns and feedback on Government policies so that we can be a responsive and responsible Government. Grassroots advisers are appointed by the Government of the day to guide the PA grassroots organisations in carrying out this mission. This includes explaining difficult and sometimes unpopular policies that are necessary for the future of Singapore, such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike and foreign manpower policies. We do not presume that Opposition MPs believe that they will be willing or able to execute this role for the Government of the day. To address Mr Pritam Singh's question, MPs have their roles to play, such as representing their constituents' views in Parliament and running the Town Council where the MPs have substantial responsibility in the administration and maintenance of public housing estates. Government agencies will work with the respective MPs and grassroots advisers on matters related to their respective roles. On Mr Faisal Manap's points, let me make the following points. First, anyone can write to the Government agencies and anyone can help anyone else to write to the Government agencies. And I believe that Government agencies have also received letters from Mr Leon Perera and other people who have previously stood in elections. I am confident that the agencies will know who is the elected MP for that constituency and give the matter due consideration. I would like to thank Mr Faisal Manap for his suggestion.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2018/2019, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 5 March 2018.”
“The modus operandi of corrupt offenders has evolved and corrupt transactions of a transnational nature have become more prevalent. Our PCA has to remain effective to deal with the many manifestations of corrupt practices and conduct. In this context, CPIB and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) have been reviewing PCA. This exercise involves a careful study of the current PCA to establish areas where amendments, refinements and updates may be necessary. I would like to thank both Members for raising worthy issues for consideration in the review of PCA. A review of PCA is an important undertaking and would include the comprehensive engagement of different stakeholders and a public consultation to ensure that feedback is solicited in an exhaustive, comprehensive and wide-ranging manner. It goes without saying that all MPs will have the opportunity to contribute their feedback and suggestions at the appropriate juncture as we seek to enhance our legislative tools to fight corruption.”
“This is a newly developed international standard to help businesses and companies implement anti-bribery compliance programmes. Supported by the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING) Singapore, CPIB was the National Convenor and led a national working group comprising representatives from the trade associations, industry bodies and academia to develop the standard. The Singapore Standard ISO 37001, Anti-Bribery Management Systems, was subsequently launched in April 2017 in a seminar organised by CPIB, in partnership with SPRING Singapore. CPIB continues to be proactive in engaging the private sector. It conducts regular prevention talks and also periodically participates in business sector conferences in its anti-corruption efforts. Enhancing anti-corruption measures in companies ultimately requires constructive public-private sector cooperation and partnership. Companies must realise that they are ultimately responsible for the proper and ethical conduct of their businesses and recognise that they also play a vital role in our national anti-corruption efforts in preventing, detecting and reporting corrupt behaviour. Let me now turn to PCA. PCA is a key instrument in our national anti-corruption framework. It is thus pertinent that PCA is periodically reviewed to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in combating corruption, especially on some of the issues raised by both Members that concern the trans-border issues. The last substantial review of and amendments to PCA was in 1989. The amendments then included increasing the maximum fines for several offences under PCA and adding an offence of giving false information. Since the 1989 review, the landscape and context in which corrupt offenders operate has changed.”
“I thank both Members for the various suggestions which CPIB will take into account in our regular reviews and we will do what is possible and practical to uphold the integrity of our system, especially in the face of transnational, cross-border challenges. Singapore is recognised as one of the least corrupt countries in the world today. The latest Transparency International of Corruption Perceptions Index of 2017 where Singapore was ranked 6th out of 180 countries was again testament to the effectiveness of our anti-corruption framework. The corruption situation in Singapore remains under control. However, we must not be complacent. As we say, low crime does not mean no crime. This can be seen from the corruption statistics released by CPIB in recent years which show that Singapore has one of the world's lowest incidence of corruption. Nevertheless, while absolute numbers are low, we note that the majority of the cases come from the private sector. This is why the CPIB recognises that it is important to engage the private and business sectors to enhance their awareness of anti-corruption measures and to share the best practices with them, as suggested by Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong. I will share some recent efforts by CPIB. In 2016, CPIB published a guide book for private sector use, called Practical Anti-Corruption (PACT), a guide for businesses in Singapore which sets out to guide business owners in developing and implementing an anti-corruption framework within their companies. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] Members may also be aware of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 37001, the anti-bribery management system that was launched in October 2016.”
“Mr Chairman, let me take the cuts on the ELD and CPIB on behalf of the Prime Minister. First, may I thank Mr Png Eng Huat for his confidence in the secrecy of our voting processes. I would also like to thank the Member for his support for the ELD's recent innovation for e-registration and the refinements to the layout of our voting booths. We note the Member's suggestions on the design of the booths and the reading out of the names. Let me make a few clarifications. First, on the booth design, we will continually refine the booth design with our stakeholders. We actually have a new prototype for the Presidential Elections (PE) 2017 and we will continue to refine this as we go along. 5.00 pm On the second issue, I will note the Member's suggestion on the reading out of the names. May I just clarify that we do not read out the NRIC of the voters? What we do is that we read out the name and the serial number of the voter in the polling station registered. So, we thank the Member for all these suggestions and we will take into account all these suggestions in the next review of the Parliamentary Elections Act. If I may inform the House, ELD had actually conducted road shows and planned to introduce e-registration at a few constituencies during PE 2017. However, as PE 2017 was not contested, ELD's current plan is to implement e-registration of voters at the next election. On the issue of CPIB and anti-corruption, let me, first, thank Mr Murali Pillai and Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong for their various suggestions. CPIB is acutely aware of the evolving challenges of corruption and we can never be complacent. We must always be vigilant, especially in the current era, where issues straddle beyond our sovereign territory.”
“I would like to thank Ms Sylvia Lim. I would also like to confirm that when I replied to Mr Low Thia Khiang's email to me that I had said I promise him that I would try to sequence the speakers in the order that he prefers, but I would like to say that I cannot guarantee it will be at a particular timeslot, because things will move along, as I have said.”
“Based on the latest revised registers of electors as at 31 July 2017, there are 2,515,322 electors. This is an increase of 52,396 electors (or 2.1%) compared to the number of electors at General Election 2015. The electoral divisions with a large increase in number of electors are Sengkang West and Pasir Ris-Punggol.”
“Madam, in response to the first supplementary question from Mr Png, we take it as our working assumption that, every day, every moment, we must be careful of potential foreign interference in our processes. The details will not be convenient for me to address publicly, but suffice to say that we will never let our guard down. We take it as a working assumption. It may be an interference or an attempt to interfere in our electoral process, or it may be an attempt to influence our public opinion or our own local organisations. On the second issue about working with social media organisations like Facebook, yes, we do have conversations with them on how we can collectively do this better and it will be one of the stakeholders which we will be consulting closely on the way forward. 3.00 pm”
“Mdm Speaker, let me take the second supplementary question first. On what more we can do, beyond what I have just stated, I think there are two other important things we need to do collectively as a society. First, I think we need to be much more aware of the many teachable moments that are readily available in other parts of the world. There are many lessons which we can draw from some of the recent episodes that have happened in other parts of the world; episodes that have happened to even bigger countries than us. Secondly, when it comes to this subject of foreign relations and foreign interference, it is always a sensitive topic. Many of such issues cannot be shared publicly and may not be in our best interest to share publicly, but, nevertheless, we must endeavour to share such things, where possible, in closed sessions with our community leaders so that we have a collective awareness of the world that we are living in and the geopolitical forces that we have to contend with. Madam, on the upcoming Presidential Election, we have stated many of the existing measures that we have in place and we are also keenly aware of the new challenges that are evolving as we speak. We will continue to need to be vigilant at the systems level but we will also need everyone to do this collectively, so that, collectively as Singaporeans, we can all do our part to safeguard the integrity of our own democratic processes, make the choices that we desire to make. Because, ultimately, we, as Singaporeans, will bear the collective responsibility for all the decisions that we have made.”
“They can take the form of surreptitious contributions, which can be seemingly harmless donations to unsuspecting Singaporeans or local organisations, so that influence and pressure can be exerted over them. This threat of foreign influence is compounded by the pervasive use of the Internet and social media. Our Government agencies, such as the National Library Board and organisations like the Media Literacy Council, have also embarked on various programmes, such as the Better Internet, and the Source, Understand, Research and Evaluate programme, or SURE for short, to help Singaporeans become more discerning in what we read. Nonetheless, the Government must also be able to step in to ensure that fake news which impacts society is not allowed to spread unchecked. Through consultations with stakeholders, the Government will be introducing legislation, accompanied by public education and, where appropriate, co-regulation with industry players. Mdm Speaker, Singapore politics and our political processes are for Singaporeans only. The integrity of our democratic process is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders and our electorate. Each one of us must play our part by being vigilant and discerning about what we might have read or heard, in order to safeguard our democratic processes from being undermined by foreign influence. Ultimately, our best defence is a discerning electorate that recognises the realities of geopolitics and the world which we live in.”
“Under the Societies Act, only Singapore citizens can be members of political associations and these associations must not have affiliation or connection with any organisation outside of Singapore that is contrary to our national interest. Beyond elections, the Public Order Act was also amended this year to make clear that the Police may refuse to grant a permit for public assemblies and processions organised by or involving the participation of foreigners or foreign entities and directed towards political ends. Second, we have measures to protect Government networks and IT systems, so that they are not used by others to subvert our election process. If these systems are compromised, they can be exploited to leak information or propagate fake news to disrupt election campaigns and shape voting patterns. However, cybersecurity is a collective responsibility. Election candidates and political parties also need to safeguard their own systems. If they require advice on the security of their IT systems, they can approach SingCERT, a division of the Cyber Security Agency. Third, to prevent foreigners from manipulating our media platforms to influence local politics, the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act and the Broadcasting Act allow the Government to restrict and control the ownership of newspapers and broadcast media. Funds from foreign sources for non-commercial purposes are prohibited for newspaper companies, broadcasting companies and corporatised online news entities. Madam, despite these measures, it is critical for Singaporeans ourselves to recognise that foreign influence campaigns continue to exist. The avenues of these campaigns are multi-faceted.”
“Mdm Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister. Foreign interference in domestic politics and electoral processes cannot be underestimated and must always be factored into our social and psychological defence. History has shown that bigger and more powerful states would seek to advance their interests by projecting their influence on, usually, smaller or less well organised ones via all instruments of power, ranging from military, economic, cultural, diplomatic to informational. We cannot expect to be immune from such external forces. Singapore's small size, openness and relatively short history have always made it challenging for us to mitigate the external influences on our systems. The advent of modern technologies, proliferation of various media platforms, rapid communication cycles and seamless information transmission channels combine to further complicate our task of defending ourselves from external influences. Our consistent position has always been that politics in Singapore is meant only for Singaporeans. We chart our own course and bear responsibilities for our choices. We have various existing measures to guard ourselves and our systems from foreign interference, but we will need to evolve them in tandem with the changes in technology, media platforms and communications channels. Let me share some of our existing measures. First, our election laws expressly prohibit foreigners from taking part in election activities. For instance, the Political Donations Act prohibits election candidates and political parties from accepting foreign funding.”
“Apologies, Mdm Speaker, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary is not around. We will get him to provide the answer.”
“First, let me clarify that registered for investigation does not prove that they are guilty. It just means that there might be a case for us to follow up and pursue. Out of the cases mentioned, four were eventually prosecuted in Court. Where there is not sufficient evidence of severity to prosecute them in Court, we will see whether there is any ground for us to take other actions. There is always a range of actions required for us. But for those cases that go to the Court, that is when there are very clear guidelines as to when you crossed the legal threshold.”
“To answer the first question first. The answer is three and one to make the four. The second question as to which case will be prosecuted will depend on the nature of the case itself and also the strength of the evidence, the complexity and the severity of the case. Is that what the Member was asking? Because when a case is being prosecuted, once it has breached our rules and our guidelines, it will be prosecuted in Court. If let us say, there are no clear evidence for us to take the person to task, then if there are any other things that are tantamount to any wrongdoing but not enough for us to cross the threshold, then there may be other administration guidelines for us to take punishment action if someone is in the wrong.”
“Even though the Singapore Public Service is known to be one of the cleanest in the world, the Government remains vigilant and constantly seek new ways to maintain the integrity of the Public Service. As with all corruption cases, they start and end with humans. Ministries are required to put in place measures to ensure accountability and transparency. Such measures include rotation of officers, having more effective supervision, holding surprise checks and conducting regular internal audits to ensure processes are in order. There is a reporting framework for officers to report wrongful practices of behaviour they have observed to their supervisors or the Permanent Secretary in their Ministry. This includes the mismanagement or misuse of Government funds or actions that call into question an officer's integrity, such as in conflict of interest situations. This helps the agency to be alerted to problems early and allow them to promptly take appropriate actions. The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 ranks Singapore as the seventh least corrupt country in the world. Singapore has also maintained its first place in the 2016 Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Annual Survey on corruption. This is only possible because of strong political will and leadership over the years as well as the trusted Singapore Brand that is built upon our clean and honest system of governance in the business environment.”
“Madam, on behalf of the Prime Minister, Singapore adopts a culture of zero-tolerance towards corruption, no matter how big or small the amount. Corruption offences can occur at any level as long as there is greed and opportunity. CPIB takes a serious view of all complaints or information on suspected corruption. They will not hesitate to take action without fear or favour against any individuals or entities. According to CPIB's corruption statistics that were released recently, there were 118 cases registered for investigation in 2016, out of which, 15% was from the public sector. The percentage of public sector cases that CPIB registered for investigation remains consistent over the last three years, averaging about 14%. However, I wish to highlight that not all cases that CPIB registered for investigation will result in prosecution. In the last three years, the number of persons prosecuted in Court by the CPIB has been on a decline. In 2016, there were 104 individuals who were prosecuted in Court by the CPIB, out of which, four were public sector employees. However, not all the four individuals were charged for corruption offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. To answer Mr Png's question, the total bribe amount, or personal gains involving public servants prosecuted last year was $24,800. The CPIB takes, on average, less than a year to complete investigations. Nevertheless, this also depends on the complexity of the cases, many factors, such as the availability of witnesses or, if the case is transnational, also affect the duration of the investigations. For 2016, there were 13 cases from the 92 uncompleted cases that were carried forward from 2015 that took more than two years.”
“Tomorrow, Sir. Mr Deputy Speaker So be it.”
“Madam, community centres (CCs) provide community services to meet the needs of our residents. CCs are managed by local community leaders and volunteers. They determine the mix of services and programmes in consultation with the residents. Examples include social services, after school care, tuition and other forms of support. I can understand Assoc Prof Daniel Goh's concerns with the local tuition culture. There are many forms of tuition and student guidance services. They range from those providing help to (a) students who need more guidance to keep pace with their school work; (b) others who are pursuing excellence in some subjects. The range of providers include volunteers helping less privileged students, as well as paid, organised classes. Stopping the conduct of all tuition classes in CCs will remove access to affordable services that some residents and students legitimately need. On the other hand, many other things will need to be done to change the broader tuition culture that Assoc Prof Daniel Goh speaks of. Our communities will have to determine the balance and the type of services that they wish to provide and access at all CCs.”
“Madam, as I have said, before any Bill is presented to the PCMR, it would have gone through three layers of checks. At any point in time, if the PCMR feels that it needs other resources or references, it would be at its own prerogative and it has the privilege to call on anybody to give his necessary input. But at any one point in time, before the Bill is presented to the PCMR, it would have gone through three layers of checks: the AGC, the MinLaw and Parliament. 11.42 pm”
“These include, for instance, whether the Bill might directly or indirectly be disadvantageous to persons from particular racial or religious communities. By the time a Bill reaches the PCMR, it would have been subject to three layers of checks: first, reviews by the AGC; second, MinLaw; and third, by Parliament. Former Chief Justice, Mr Chan Sek Keong, now Senior Judge, had previously observed that it is for similar reasons that the volume of judicial review in Singapore is relatively low. Over the past two terms of Parliament, no legislation passed by Parliament has received an adverse report by the PCMR. The fact that there has not been any adverse reports bears testament to the robustness of the system of checks that we have and the commitment of the PAP Government to racial and religious equality. The Member would be familiar with the Bills passed in the past few years. If the Member believes that the PCMR should have drawn attention to a certain Bill, we would be happy to invite him to indicate the Bills which he is referring to.”
“Mdm Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister, first, two points of clarification. First, under Article 77 of the Constitution, the function of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights (PCMR) is to draw attention to any legislation that it considers to be disadvantageous to persons of any racial or religious community. The Council's function is not to suggest changes to, or withhold assent to, legislation. Second, the Member should be aware that the Council's opinion is publicly available. May I draw the Member's attention to Parliament's website, or National Archives Online at www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/government_records/highlights. Since Independence, the PAP Government has made equality of races and religions fundamental to its vision of a multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore. Therefore, it is most unlikely that any legislation from the Government will disadvantage any racial or religious group and cause the Council to raise any objection. Nevertheless, the PAP Government created the PCMR as a unique institution that will help to protect the rights of minorities and reassure minority communities of their place in Singapore. The PCMR, as an institution and process, is valuable, in case any legislation passed inadvertently disadvantages any party, or there comes a day when a different government in Singapore operates on a different basis. In addition, before a Bill is introduced in Parliament, it goes through legal and legal policy oversight. Ministries seek the Attorney-General's Chambers' (AGC) legal advice on the legality of their actions before implementing policies by way of new legislation or legislative amendment. MinLaw examines draft legislation to ensure that it is consistent with the Constitution and other legal policies.”
“I similarly challenged them, that in 45 years' time, 2061, I hope that it will also be a non-event when our second Water Agreement with Malaysia expires. This is my hope, this is my challenge, and this is our work. It is never easy to talk about price increases. It is never easy. But what is a responsible government? A responsible government is one that not only takes care of the short-term needs of our people but also the future. A responsible government is one that prices the essentials properly, and not distort the market, leading to more subsidies that will burden our future generations. A responsible government is not one that will raise the price and not take especially greater care of the poor. A responsible government is not one that pretends that we will make difficult decisions but no one will have to bear the greater part of the responsibility to help those with less. Finally, a responsible government is one which knows what is not sustainable and will put a stop to it now. This is not a wait-and-see Budget. If this is a wait-and-see Budget, we would not have to put in place the mechanisms for carbon pricing, we would not have to talk about diesel tax, we would not have to talk about water tax. If this is a political Budget, we do not have to talk about any of these topics. So, I submit to the House that this is a government that has the heart of its people at its core. We know the pressures in the short term. We are doing what we can in a targeted manner. But more importantly, we know the long-term challenges facing our country and we will do what is right, what is necessary, to leave behind a better state for our future generations to build on. [Applause.]”
“This Debate over the last two days has also shown the following, and I agree with the Members of the House: we need to do much more. We need to do much more to socialise our people to the challenges that we are facing on the water front. The fact that we have such an intense discussion reflects that we have left this issue off our national psyche for too long. But there is never an easy way. Thirty percent over 17 years is about 1.6% a year. We can do this every year, we can do this every five years, we can do this every 10 years, but regardless which way we choose, we have to make sure that we never forget that water is existential. Let me round up with a story. In 2012, one year after I entered politics, I returned to the Singapore Armed Forces and talked to some officers. I asked them this question: what was the most significant thing that happened in 2011? The answers came fast and furious. The most obvious choice was the People's Action Party's performance in the 2011 General Elections. Then, some added, the Presidential Election of 2011. And some clever ones said, it was the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) breakdown, and there were even some who said that it was the ponding in Orchard Road. I was disappointed and I let these officers who were with me know that I was disappointed. The most significant thing that happened in 2011, without it making to the headlines of The Straits Times, was the fact that on 31 August 2011, we concluded the first Water Agreement with Malaysia without it making to the headlines. I checked. It was on the front page of The Straits Times, but it was not the headline. It was a non-event. That took us 50 years to achieve. Last year, I visited the Public Utilities Board (PUB) union and I spoke to the management and the workers.”
“The prices for desalination is coming down, but guess what? Our dependence on the higher cost water − NEWater and desalination − is going up. So, yes, technology has helped us and we will be in an even worse position if not for technological progress. But our demand has gone up the other side. If in the 1990s our forefathers did not invest in the Linggui Dam, I do not even know where we will be today. Today, to expand our water supply, we only have two sources more. We cannot possibly increase the water catchment area in Singapore by much. And just as a point of illustration, Linggui Reservoir, the catchment area of Linggui Reservoir, is twice the size of Singapore − twice. Going forward, we only have two ways to go. One, to depend more on technology, be it desalination, NEWater or any other new technology. Two, to work with the Johor authorities, the Malaysian authorities, to see whether we can have a win-win solution, because the water needs in Johor are also increasing. Some Members might have read that they are extracting water upstream from Linggui Reservoir. That affects our yield, but we want to and are committed to working with the Malaysian government and the Johor government, the Johor authorities, to see how we can develop the water system for both the benefit of Malaysia and Singapore. We spent a lot of money, that Minister Masagos did not say, to make sure that we do not waste any drop of water. Some countries lose up to 5% to 10% of their water supply through leaky pipes. If we lose 5% of our water through leaky pipes, we need to build one more NEWater plant.”
“But water is existential. It has been so in 1965. It has been so yesterday, it is so today, and it will be so tomorrow. For the entire generation who have worn the uniform, you know what this means, including all Members in this House. Mr Pritam Singh used to serve with me in the same unit, a classified unit. We know the deal. That has not changed, and that will not change. Yes, our tremendous efforts over the years have improved our situation. But we are nowhere near where we want to be. We spare no efforts to manage the risk all these years. When I was in primary school and I first looked at the map of Singapore, I was taught to remember the three reservoirs in Singapore: MacRitchie, Seletar, Peirce. I wonder how many Members in the House today will know how many reservoirs we have today, and how many more of us will be able to name all the reservoirs in Singapore today, without Googling. The answer is we have 17 reservoirs today. We used to have three. We have 17 reservoirs today. How many desalination plants do we have today? How many NEWater plants do we have today? How many more desalination plants and how many more NEWater plants we must build in order for water to never be a weapon pointing at our head? Two-thirds of the entire land area in Singapore today are water catchment areas. I dare say no other country has planned it such. No other cities have planned it such. Two-thirds of our entire land area are water catchment areas. It is not about the reservoirs. Every reservoir needs a catchment area. We have dammed up every river in Singapore. There is no river that flows into the sea anymore. NEWater plants, as Members have heard from Minister Masagos, did not exist before 2000. Desalination plants are coming on-stream.”
“There is no way to have anything with zero risk. Everything has a risk-benefit analysis. And if we adopt a mindset like that, we will critically challenge ourselves where we can make not more or less rules, as Lawrence would say, but make smarter rules. Smarter rules that lead to better outcomes but not necessarily increasing the enforcement cost. That is a challenge for our Civil Service. So, I have touched on businesses, individuals and the Government. Let me round up by touching on this sensitive topic called "water". I feel compelled to talk about this because I have heard much over the last two days and the last one week. I can understand the angst of our people with the water price increase. I can understand and appreciate the angst that we all feel if it would feed through and, if so, how would it feed through to the cost of living. I have heard many scare-mongering stories. I have heard many rumours. I have heard truths, half-truths and so forth. It will be too much for me or the Government to expect everyone to defend the price increase. It will be too much for us to expect that we will speak up for the price increase. And I do not expect that. But I think we have to get certain basic things right and do what is honourable, regardless of which side of the House we are on. We have to start from this basic premise. As Members of this House, do we agree that water is existential to our country's survival? Let us settle that first. Do we agree that water is existential to our country's survival? If the answer is yes, then we can go on to the next one. The second question: do we agree that we should price water properly? If we agree on these two questions, we can go on to the mechanics of how to price it properly, what should we consider and so forth.”
“The Ministries must also lead the way, tighten our belts, make sure that we get the bang for our buck, that we are stewards of the resources given to us, that it is the job of the Government and every civil servant to make sure that every dollar spent on anything achieves the goals that we set and it helps us to bring about a fairer society. Take it positively, I would encourage all the civil servants. The best ideas do not always come with resource abundance. In my short little time of 20-over years in the Government, some of the best ideas paradoxically came during times of constraints. It is how we apply our minds to it. Having more resources must not lead us to a crutch mentality whereby we throw resources to solve a problem. We have to challenge ourselves constantly to do better. In NTUC, we have a famous phrase. We say, "Avoid a sedimentation model", and I must attribute this to my comrade Mr Heng Chee How. Avoid a sedimentation model. What is a sedimentation model? First thing comes in, it gets the first bite of the Budget. When you do it once, it is an event. When you do it twice, it is a series. When you do it three times, it is a tradition, and thou shall not violate thy tradition. But is that the correct way to do things? We have to look at it afresh every year. What are the most important things that need to be done? How do we get it done, even if it needs to be done and done better? We have to ask ourselves, as a Government, how do we challenge ourselves to not ossify? That every time when a problem happens, we do not have a knee-jerk reaction to clamour for more rules. Because every rule that we add has a cost − to business, enforcement and so forth. We need to take the approach that everything that we do, we are inevitably managing risk.”
“But if we are political leaders, then we have to face the issues squarely, that in every society, how do we distribute the finite resources that we have? How do we make that statement that we, as a society, will lean forward to help those who need a bit more help − the weak, the vulnerable and the poor? That we do not need to be apologetic. That we will lean forward for the weaker segment of our population. And because we say we lean forward to the weaker segment of our population, the poorer segment of our population, it means that some of us who are more privileged will have to foot a bigger bill. Is that the right thing to do? I think so, but it takes courage. It takes political leadership to tell our people that we all aspire to a higher goal, beyond "what is in it for me?" Or we can compare this to other countries. There is no shortage of examples near and far. When prices go up, or when prices need to go up, everybody pretends that we will subsidise everybody equally. But is it true? Is it fair? We do not have to look too far. Take fuel subsidies as an example. Where has that gotten some of these countries? The rich got more subsidies than the poor. Is that the kind of society that we want? No? We say that we let the prices float up to the market price. Whatever we collect, we concentrate and focus the help on those who need it most. But I can understand there will always be a quarrel as to who needs it more. But at least, let us get the principle right, and let us carry the ground. There will always be somebody who is more in need than us. And we can do our part for them. But it is not just about workers, it is not just about businesses. The Government must do our part as well. And this is where the Ministries come in.”
“They are the amalgamation of the efforts of the Government, businesses and the Labour Movement. If we get this right, we move the needle for 80% of the market. If we do not get this right, there will be no productivity gains and no sustainable wage increases for our workers. So, we have to work hard on this, and the Labour Movement will do it with our partners in MOM and the Government agencies and our business partners. Next, let me touch on the kind of society that we aspire to be. I think it is all very good and I am very proud that all Members in this House always mention these two words when it comes to the kind of society we want to be: inclusive and mobile. We want to be inclusive to take care of one another, regardless of our starting position in life. We want to give everybody a fair chance. We want social mobility and that is what defines Singapore, that regardless of ancestry, connections, race, language and religion, we can all succeed, so long as we put in the effort and we have the necessary talent. Everyone has a fair chance. But every time when we talk about the difficult issue of tax increase or, for the matter, even taxes, we hear a lot of calls from many Members asking: can you give a bit more to some sectors of society? On one hand, I am very proud that the Members of this House are representing residents in your community and speaking up for them. But on the other hand, we must also all have a care, because remember what we talk about in the Budget. Going forward, for every dollar that we give more to someone, it actually means a dollar less to someone else. If we are all politicians, we will all speak up for those who need more.”
“I have always never been entirely satisfied with our speed-to-market for generating new modules that are relevant to industry needs. But this is not a finger-pointing exercise. This is a call for the Labour Movement to work closely with the Government agencies and the businesses to come together. If we are not satisfied with the speed-to-market, we work on it, improve and fix it because, at the end of the day, it affects the livelihoods of our workers not just today, but tomorrow. So, we are not going to talk about theories. We want to get things done. Many of the Labour Members have spoken about protection. There are new forms of employment − freelancers, contract workers. We need new mental models to help these workers protect their legal rights, financial rights, help them to plan for their retirement and so forth. This is why MOM is initiating a workgroup with the businesses, with the Labour Movement to study the implications of such long-term structural changes to our employment market, and we have to get this right. The Labour Movement will fully support the MOM initiative to review our system to make sure that all working people, regardless of workers, freelancers or contractors can have peace of mind for today and tomorrow. Finally, jobs for tomorrow will require us to work very hard on productivity. I visit one to two companies every week. There is no magic bullet to raise productivity just by macro-policy measures. Macro-policy measures enable, but what is most important is that each and every business has to re-examine its business processes together with the workers, and together with management to raise the productivity. It is a hard slog. It is not easy. But we are committed to doing so. This is where the 23 ITMs come in.”