Charles Chong
Singapore
“I am interested, however, to hear what the experiences of the 28 pilot schools are and how they have found the move to FSBB. Could the Minister give an update on the pilot and how successful or otherwise this has been? Finally, Mr Chairman, I would like to address the need for support of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
“I know that we are very appreciative of the support provided by the Australian government and the Australian defence force. However, with the recent bush fires in the east coast of Australia, could the Minister let us know if the Shoalwater Bay training area has been affected and whether this has had an impact on the SAF's ability to full…”
“Mr Chairman, even as we aim for zero training fatalities, it inherent in the nature of the SAF that accidents will probably happen and the challenge for us then is to ensure that when they do happen, that our service personnel have the very best medical care which we can provide for them.”
“Finally, could the Minister provide details on the number of calls which have been made to the Army, Navy and Air Force safety hotlines, and whether this has increased since we have enhanced our emphasis on training safety and whether concrete action has been taken following the making of these reports? Safety Consciousness”
“Mr Chairman, a number of speakers before me have already raised most of the points which I have, so I will not repeat them and will be very brief. As Singapore's population ages, one of the issues which will be of increasing concern for our citizens is the affordability and accessibility of healthcare.”
“00 pm These days, however, the US appears to be focused on other regional matters, such as the denuclearisation negotiations in North Korea. While on trade, a comprehensive and progressive agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership came into force at the end of last year, with the conspicuous absence of the US, which withdrew from its pr…”
The complete record
Every one of 474 lines we hold for Charles Chong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 10.
“Mr Chairman, the speaker before has already said all the things that I wanted to say. So, I shall not repeat them, other than to say that I support what Assoc Prof Dr Faishal Ibrahim has said. [Laughter.]”
“Are there any plans to expand "Screen for Life" to beyond what they really are, just basic level tests? Curbs on High-sugar Products”
“Mr Chairman, in October last year, MOH announced new measures which would affect the marketing of high sugar drinks. Now, I applaud this move, as consumption and availability of highly sugared drinks continue to be a great impediment on our war on diabetes. In announcing the new measures, MOH said that more details about the measures affecting highly sugared drinks would be released in 2020. I would, therefore, like to ask the Minister if MOH has crystallised its policy on highly sugared drinks and if he can provide an update on this? Sir, on smoking, I would like to ask the Minister about measures which are available to assist persons to quit smoking. Smoking's popularity has been in decline, as more people understand the health risks associated with smoking. I hope we can do more to discourage people from smoking and even more to encourage smokers to quit. Could the Minister provide us an update on the measures which have been put in place to assist smokers to quit and how successful has this been? In 2018, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health said that MOH was aiming to bring the smoking rate to below 10% by 2020 – this year. Could the Minister provide an update on how successful we have been at reducing the smoking rate? And finally, Mr Chairman, I would like to ask the Minister about what we can do or what has been done to encourage Singaporeans to take preventive measures for the sake of their health such as getting regular health screenings done and having vaccinations performed when they are needed. Could the Minister let us know how successful MOH's "Screen for Life" programmes have been and how many Singaporeans have taken advantage of the subsidised screening under under the programme?”
“I am interested, however, to hear what the experiences of the 28 pilot schools are and how they have found the move to FSBB. Could the Minister give an update on the pilot and how successful or otherwise this has been? Finally, Mr Chairman, I would like to address the need for support of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Quality education should be accessible to all Singaporeans, regardless of family background. The Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT) was set up in October 2018 to see how we can help address the challenges that children from poorer backgrounds face, so that they are able to benefit fully from our education system and go on to maximise their potential. As it has already been a year and a half since UPLIFT was set up, I would like to ask the Minister if he could provide an update on the work and progress of this taskforce. Mother Tongue”
“Mr Chairman, it seems to me that the only thing which is constant about the world is that everything will change at some point. Indeed, the rate of change we are experiencing gets quicker and quicker every year. For example, by some estimates, the amount of data in the world doubles every two years. The difficulty we face is how we get our youths ready for the future when we do not know for certain what the future holds. If we do not know what the future is going to look like, then it makes it immensely difficult to predict the skills that will be needed for the future. But what is clear is that we need our youths to be resilient, adaptable and have a global outlook. To keep pace with changes in the world, we must teach our youths to keep an open mind and to be willing to learn and re-learn throughout their lives. In short, we need to make lifelong learning second nature for our youths. That seems to be the most effective way to make the next generation of Singaporeans ready for the future. Could the Minister share what steps are being taken to encourage our youths to learn for life? Mr Chairman, last year, I spoke about how our education system can better cater to the unique strengths and interests of our students by providing more opportunities for differentiated learning, depending on the student's ability at a particular point in time. Now, I was encouraged by MOE's move towards full subject-based banding (FSBB) which, I understand, is being piloted in 28 Secondary schools this year. The outcomes and the students' experiences in this pilot project will provide useful learning points as the Ministry finally rolls out FSBB to all Secondary schools.”
“Mr Chairman, there are many grants and schemes which are available to help companies. Now, these have been made available by the Government through various agencies to encourage a vibrant business community in Singapore. However, many companies, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises or SMEs, are often not aware of the grants available to them. Or if they know of these grants, the amount of red tape and the number of forms they need to fill in could also prove to be an impediment to applying for these schemes. Or there may be multiple overlapping and similar schemes, and it is hard for a business owner to decide which one to apply for. I am sure not many SMEs know of the existence of SME Centres, which have been specifically set up to help them. While SME Centres will be able to help SMEs navigate the various grants and schemes which are available, they may not be visible enough for the SMEs, such that SMEs actually reach out to them to tap on their expertise. My question to the Minister then is what we can do to make SME Centres more visible, such that we make it clear to SMEs that we have people ready and able to help them in their business journeys? More broadly, is the Minister satisfied that MTI is doing enough to ensure that SMEs are made aware of the grants, schemes and programmes available to them, and could more be done to ensure that SMEs do not lose out on these? Free Trade Agreements”
“Mr Chairman, being part of a multi-national organisation such as ASEAN certainly makes sense for Singapore in 1967 when as a small nation we could leverage on being part of a larger grouping to make our voice heard and our concerns known on the world stage. Cooperation and collaboration with our closest neighbours was also something that was and continues to be beneficial for Singapore. Indeed, the US State Department's assessment of ASEAN is that ASEAN commands far greater influence on the Asia Pacific trade, political and security issues than its members could achieve individually and all of the ASEAN member nations, this was particularly true of Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s. However, given that things have moved on since then and given the differing rates of economic and social development within the group, I would like to ask the Minister to what extent to which ASEAN continues to be strategically important to Singapore, in particular, could the Minister elaborate as to some key initiatives which keep ASEAN relevant to today's world and to Singapore as a Member? It is also well known that ASEAN operates on the basis of decision-making by consensus. While this has its benefits in that the bloc will be agreed by any decision it makes, this can also come at a cost on the progress on matters which may be considered by some to be more controversial. Now, would the Minister clarify if this policy is something that can or will be looked into to make ASEAN more nimble, more able to adapt and to address matters of concern more expeditiously. Tap onto Opportunities Afforded by ASEAN”
“Mr Chairman, even as we aim for zero training fatalities, it inherent in the nature of the SAF that accidents will probably happen and the challenge for us then is to ensure that when they do happen, that our service personnel have the very best medical care which we can provide for them. The SAF Medical Corp has been around for over 50 years now and has developed into a professionally run and managed medical service for our servicemen and women. It is, however, important that the medical capabilities of the SAF are continually updated and upgraded to ensure that medical support for our troops is up-to-date, both in terms of practice and procedure as well as in equipment and technology. Now, could the Minister provide some insights as to how the SAF is improving its capabilities to respond to medical emergencies and what steps are being taken by the SAF to ensure that the SAF Medical Corp continues to provide the medical support which our servicemen and servicewomen require?”
“Finally, could the Minister provide details on the number of calls which have been made to the Army, Navy and Air Force safety hotlines, and whether this has increased since we have enhanced our emphasis on training safety and whether concrete action has been taken following the making of these reports? Safety Consciousness”
“Mr Chairman, all of us have either served in the SAF or have a child, parent, relative or close friend who have been in the SAF. The SAF is an intrinsic part of Singapore and is part of our identity as Singaporeans. Part of why the SAF has been successful has been the trust which exists between Singaporeans and the SAF. The SAF enjoys broad support among citizens and we all understand why we need to have mandatory National Service, even if it comes at a cost to personal pursuits in academia, sports and other areas. However, when parents send out their sons of to enlist in the SAF or when children bid goodbye to a parent who is going for in-camp training, there is an expectation, a very legitimate expectation, if I may say, that the SAF has done everything possible to ensure that they return home safely. Unfortunately, as is well-known to Members, there have been several training incidents over the last few years, some of which have led to deaths of our servicemen. Just before last year's Committee of Supply debate, the SAF announced the setting up of an Inspector-General's Office (IGO) to scrutinise safety practises at all levels across all services in units of the SAF. Could the Minister provide an update on the work of the IGO, including how many instances of unsafe practises the IGO has identified in the past year and what real steps have been taken to address this? Has training safety in the SAF improved since the IGO was set up, and have additional safety measures been introduced?”
“I know that we are very appreciative of the support provided by the Australian government and the Australian defence force. However, with the recent bush fires in the east coast of Australia, could the Minister let us know if the Shoalwater Bay training area has been affected and whether this has had an impact on the SAF's ability to fully utilise the area as a training ground? In particular, I imagine that the dry conditions and the threat of fires could have had an impact on our use of ordinance and ammunition which would have been a significant reason for using the Shoalwater Bay training area in the first place, and for us committing to spend on developing military facilities there. Coming back to the CSP, this also provides for even greater access to training areas in Australia for our troops. And I would like to ask the Minister if he can provide an update on the enhancements to training facilities, including both in the Shoalwater Bay training area as the new Townsville field training area and how the CSP can improve the SAF's training effectiveness. Terrorism”
“Mr Chairman, at last year's Committee of Supply Debate, the Minister spoke about MINDEF's successful chairmanship of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM Plus in 2018. MINDEF has worked hard to ensure that should the need arise, our Armed Forces will be able to defend Singapore against both conventional and unconventional threats. However, the better way to deal with these threats is to do what we can to ensure that they do not arise in the first place. To that end, as ironic as it may appear, the SAF will be truly successful if we never actually need to call on our servicemen and servicewomen to defend Singapore in a time of conflict. Could the Minister provide an update on what MINDEF is doing to ensure that the region remains stable and peaceful? Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Moving to my next cut. Singapore signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with Australia in June 2015. Australia is a close and valued defence partner and the signing of the CSP was a clear demonstration of the relationship. We enjoy with our Australian friends. While we have had an excellent defence relationship with Australia for many years, the CSP provides a framework for the further deepening of defence engagements between our two countries. 1.15 pm We have already been having our troops trained in Australia for many years. Many of our troops have trained in the Shoalwater Bay training area. Last year's Exercise Wallaby, held from September to November involved some 3,000 SAF personnel in an area almost four times the size of Singapore. This year, I believe, will mark the 30th year that we have been able to use the Shoalwater Bay training area.”
“Mr Chairman, one result of us having an ageing population is that more support will need to be given to elderly Singaporeans. Apart from those who care for the elderly, there are also those who care for people with disabilities, for those with chronic or terminal illnesses. Very often, these caregivers are family members – children, parents or siblings. The demands placed on caregivers must not be underestimated. Apart from the stresses involved with looking after persons under their care, they also have their own lives to lead. And while I believe that most caregivers embrace the caring responsibilities, they often face their own challenges, and these could be professional, financial or psychological. Caregivers play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of our older citizens and citizens with disabilities or chronic illnesses. And it is only right if we do what we can to support them. I would like to ask the Minister if more could be done to support caregivers in their role. For example, what kinds of training can they attend to carry out procedures which they may need to execute and what resources are available to them to provide emotional and psychological support? Could the Minister also consider, if beyond the existing schemes, the financial needs of caregivers, something that we can look into supporting, as being part of the broader package of support for the person who is receiving the care? Mental Health Patients and Their Families”
“Mr Chairman, a number of speakers before me have already raised most of the points which I have, so I will not repeat them and will be very brief. As Singapore's population ages, one of the issues which will be of increasing concern for our citizens is the affordability and accessibility of healthcare. Given the importance and relevance of this issue for most Singaporeans, I am sure the Minister will provide some updates on what is being done or can be done to ensure that healthcare remains affordable for Singaporeans. In particular, are there plans to use technology and medical advances to increase efficiencies, reduce doctors' time and empower other professionals within the healthcare ecosystem such that costs can be contained? Could the Minister also clarify the extent to which generic drugs are used as another means of reducing costs? I believe Ms Joan Pereira has already raised this. Could MOH also provide comfort to patients that generic drugs are just as efficacious as brand-name drugs? 1.45 pm Merdeka Generation Outreach”
“Sir, like the speaker before me, I would like to address the concern of ensuring that the needs of children from disadvantaged background are properly understood and what we can do to help. Sir, in October last year, the Government announced that they were setting up an interagency task force, that is, the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families (UPLIFT) Taskforce, to help understand and address the difficulties faced by such children. As a Member of Parliament, I have seen firsthand how education has the power to change families and I think it is extremely timely that this task force has been set up to ensure that we understand what keeps some students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds from benefiting from our education system. We have a world-class education system which is accessible to all Singaporeans and it is, therefore, vital to ensure that all our children, even those from poorer backgrounds, have a good start in life so that they can go on to maximise their potential and lead meaningful lives. This would ultimately benefit not only the students themselves but also their families, the community and Singapore. It will provide a springboard for the next generation of Singaporeans to build on, but we must start somewhere. I would like to ask the Minister about the work and the progress of the UPLIFT task force since it was set up and if some preliminary findings could be shared. In particular, has the task force identified the main issues faced by the disadvantaged students? And are there any strategies that we can pursue to better support these students? If any of these areas have already been identified, perhaps we can work on it immediately and not have to wait until the task force has completed its work and submitted its report. Update on UPLIFT”
“Mr Chairman, streaming of students into groups and bands has its advantages, both for students as well as for teachers. Students can learn at a pace with others who are at the same stage of learning while teachers have to worry less about going too quickly for some students while going too slowly for others. However, streaming can have a negative impact and create a class-divide between those whom our education system deems to be academically able and those who are less so. Over the years, we have seen the impact of streaming on students' self-esteem. Some students in the Normal Stream lose motivation over time, thinking that the label "Normal" means that they cannot excel or even improve. That is plainly wrong! We must recognise that our students' abilities, readiness and motivation can be developed and strengthened over time, and not everyone is cut out to excel at academic learning even if they are excellent in other non-academic areas. Just because someone is not so good in class in certain subjects, it should not define them or lead to a loss of self-esteem. In primary school, SBB has replaced the old EM1, EM2 and EM3 Streams since the mid 2000s. And it has proven to be effective. SBB now allows secondary school students from the Normal Stream to take certain subjects at a higher academic level. Is it time for us to take the next step? Would the Minister consider replacing the Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) Streams for our secondary schools with an alternative which recognises a wider range of abilities to better cater for the unique strengths and interests of students and help build our students' confidence and develop an intrinsic motivation to learn for life? Abolishing Streaming”
“00 pm These days, however, the US appears to be focused on other regional matters, such as the denuclearisation negotiations in North Korea. While on trade, a comprehensive and progressive agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership came into force at the end of last year, with the conspicuous absence of the US, which withdrew from its predecessor. I would like to ask the Minister if such a trend in the US' engagement of the region over the medium and long term signal a shift in the US' attention away from Southeast Asia, which may have a negative impact on regional cooperation and collaboration with the US. And what does it mean for the US commitment to the region as well as its initiatives to engage Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia?”
“Being a small country, we need certainty in terms of how we conduct our trade relations and we value an adherence to well-established international norms, international law and binding contracts between states. So, without repeating the old chestnut involving fighting elephants and grass, I hope the Minister can provide some insights into whether US-China relations have affected the US engagement of Singapore and vice-versa. And if a trade war were to take place between US and China, could the Minister shed some light on how Singapore has prepared ourselves for the follow-up to this? US Engagement of Southeast Asia Mr Chairman, the second issue I would like to speak on involves US engagement of Southeast Asia. Singapore has been a long-standing and steadfast advocate of the US engagement of and presence in Asia. We are a key security partner of the US in the region, with our defence relationship being formalised in 2005 through the Strategic Framework Agreement and, subsequently, enhanced in 2015 with the US-Singapore Cooperation Agreement. Since 2002, Singapore has hosted the annual Shangri-la Dialogue where Asia Pacific countries, including the US and Southeast Asia Nations come together to discuss defence and security issues, thereby contributing to the enhancement of defence diplomacy amongst participating countries. But it is not just defence and security matters where there will be at a strong relationship. Indeed, the US and Singapore have a strong partnership in many other areas. Bilateral trade in goods and services was nearly US$75 billion in 2017 and, in that same year, the US continued to be the largest foreign investor in Singapore, while Singapore was the US' second largest Asian investor. 1.”
“Mr Chairman, the relationship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the US has been described by a former US Secretary of State as the most important bilateral relationship in the world this century. There is a long and historic relationship with the first voyage of direct trade between the US and China having been recorded as taking place in 1784, some 35 years before Raffles landed in Singapore. In fact, today, 1 March, marks the 40th year of the upgrading of diplomatic relations between the US and the PRC when the US liaison office in Beijing was converted to an embassy. So, on the occasion of 40 years of diplomatic relationship between the US and the PRC, I would be grateful if the Minister could provide some insights into how Singapore is affected by the relationship between these two powers, and how we can act in the best interest of Singapore and Singaporeans in navigating our own bilateral relationship between the US and China. The current US administration has been in power for just over two years now. Whereas in the past, the US-China relationship was sometimes described as symbiotic with bilateral trade and investment between the two countries having grown exponentially reaching US$710 billion in 2017, the last two years have seen an increase in tensions between the countries, particularly on trade but also in other areas, including Taiwan and the South China Sea. These tensions over the past year have had a negative impact on the global economy and market sentiments. The US and China have imposed tit-for-tat trade tirades on each other, a move which is at odds with Singapore's approach to free and open trade, and one which runs contrary to our support of a rule-based multilateral trading system.”
“Finally, I would like to ask the Minister what steps MINDEF and SAF take when safety lapses are discovered, including where no harm or injury is caused by such lapses. Apart from the appointment of the Inspector-General, I would be grateful if MINDEF could elaborate on other systems and safeguards that they have or will put in place to ensure training safety in SAF, particularly in the light of recent training deaths.”
“We have heard on various occasions that this balance will be struck by MINDEF and SAF and I would like to ask the Minister for clarification as to how this balance is achieved. As I mentioned earlier, the first Inspector-General of SAF has just started in his role yesterday. The role of the Inspector-General was stated by the Chief of Defence Force as being to ensure that command emphasis on safety is consistently applied across all services and units. MINDEF also stated that the Inspector-General's Office will have full authority to scrutinise and enforce safety processes and practices at all levels of SAF. The appointment of the Inspector-General is a positive step as I understand that there was previously no organisation which covered safety across all branches of SAF. The appointment has a strong signalling effect and indicates to our troops how important safety is to our armed forces. It was reported that the new Inspector-General stressed the importance of open reporting and that he wants to introduce concrete actions to promote open reporting. I would like to ask the Minister if he could clarify what he sees the role of open reporting to be, particularly in a hierarchical organisation, such as the SAF. Indeed, the concept of open reporting in safety matters is counter-intuitive. In other organisations and industries, the reporting of safety issues and lapses is encouraged through confidential reporting where the identities of those doing the reports are protected. This is particularly so if it involves unsafe practices by their superiors and colleagues. Are we essentially asking for whistleblowers to come forward with the reports in the open? Could the Minister clarify why open reporting would be more successful than confidential reporting?”
“Mr Chairman, earlier this month, the Minister for Defence made a Ministerial Statement on NS training deaths and safety enhancements for the SAF. The Ministerial Statement addressed some of the circumstances around the untimely death of Corporal First Class (CFC) Aloysius Pang and the Minister also shared some of the findings of the Committee of Inquiry which was convened after CFC Liu Kai was killed in a training accident in November 2018. The Minister also shared some training enhancements which were made in SAF following the recent training fatalities. And just last week, SAF announced that it has appointed its first Inspector-General, who I understand, started in that role on 27 February. The issue of training safety is one which concerns us all. Every Singaporean family has a family member who has gone through or will go through NS. We also have a large number of men and women who have chosen to protect our country as their careers. Some spend decades in our armed forces, ready to put their lives on the line for Singapore should the need arise. I am aware that the issue of training safety is not confined just to NSFs but also to the regulars who serve in SAF. But this bond of trust we have with the families of NSFs and NSmen, those who are required by law to serve, is where it can be felt most keenly. That is not to say that we should mollycoddle our servicemen or that we eliminate activities which carry the slightest amount of risks. That is not how a military should be run. I would, therefore, like to ask the Minister how do MINDEF and SAF strike a balance between the need for an operationally-ready SAF that is able to defend Singapore's sovereignty with the need to ensure the safety of our soldiers, especially during training.”
“It is undoubtedly a tall order, but is there any way that we can help to identify and support these sorts of startups with good ideas but which have failed for reasons other than having a poor product? For Singapore to thrive in the startup space and for us to attract the best startups, we need to continually keep our pencils sharp and be relentless in seeking new ways to keep Singapore front of the minds of startup founders when they are looking for places to establish their businesses. We have made progress in these endeavours and I would like to ask the Minister if there is more in the works which will make us even more competitive and which will help us support and attract startups. Has there been any feedback on the initiatives which were announced and rolled out last year and what is the Government's assessment on the success of these initiatives to date?”
“Mr Chairman, we have been building up our startup landscape in Singapore for some time now, and our drive to attract the best startup talent to Singapore is slowly paying off. At last year's Committee of Supply (COS), MTI announced initiatives to enhance the startup scene, including the unification of Government support schemes for startups under the Startup SG umbrella, as well as the streamlining of the EntrePass Scheme to allow us to attract more talent. In August, it was announced that SPRING Singapore and Workforce Singapore (WSG) would set aside $2.8 million to groom the next generation of startups in supply chain and logistics and develop related talent and capabilities in SMEs. Then, in November, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced the establishment of a financial technology (fintech) innovative hub in the heart of the Central Business District (CBD) known as 80 Robinson Road (80RR)Fintechhubsg. This is intended to cater for the increasing number of startups in the fintech scene, and MAS reported that we now have more than 400 fintech startups in Singapore. So, there has been observable progress in what we are doing for startups. Tech startups operate in a wide range of industries and generally look at how technology can help us work smarter and more quickly. The pace in startups is normally very quick and it is well-known that the majority of startups will fail. Yet, many still enter the startup world with grand plans on how they can change people's lives for the better. What is probably a sad truth of this ecosystem is that there are likely to be failed startups which actually have very good ideas. And if they had done things slightly differently, they really could have made a difference to the people's lives with their products.”
“Mr Chairman, it was announced in October last year that the Government will be launching the Open Electricity Market (OEM) this April. This is a positive move as it will allow households and businesses the ability to buy electricity from a retailer which has price plans which best meet their demand. While OEM will initially operate in Jurong during the soft launch phase, it was also announced that this would be extended to the rest of Singapore in the second half of 2018. While I support the opening up of the electricity market, I am concerned that consumers may be faced with numerous price plans and permutations, and this may get very confusing for them. We need to put in safeguards to ensure that Singaporeans are no worse-off with the OEM than they were when there was no choice. I would like to ask the Minister what steps the Government is intending to take to educate Singaporeans on the choices of how best they can choose a price plan for their electricity needs. The OEM is something which will be very new to the vast majority of Singaporeans and we need to be able to give Singaporeans the confidence that this is a move that will benefit them. More generally, would the Minister be able to provide any updates on the soft launch of the OEM in Jurong, and also let us know what consumers can expect when the OEM eventually rolls out? Commercial Rental in the Heartlands”
“But more importantly, I think Mr Lee Kuan Yew would not wish to see his family affairs demolish the standing and the reputation of Singapore that he had spent his lifetime building. I would like to ask the Prime Minister whether he thinks there is any hope of reconciliation within his family. I do not think anyone would dispute that this is what Mr Lee Kuan Yew would want for his family and for Singapore. And I think this is also what most Singaporeans hope would happen because there are no real winners in this sad episode. 12.47 pm”
“Mdm Speaker, many questions have already been raised by Members in this House and some of these have already been answered. I would, therefore, keep my speech very brief and just ask two questions. It was reported that the Public Service Division (PSD) sent out a survey to public officers on the dispute over 38 Oxley Road. While PSD said this was because the allegations made went beyond private matters, some questions remain as to whether this sort of poll was appropriate. This is particularly so as it is not clear whether there are any actionable steps which can be taken with the survey results. Could the Minister clarify as to: (a) what were the results of the poll? (b) what will the data in the poll be used for? (c) whether there is any concrete action that will be taken to follow up on the results of the poll. My next question. The statements and postings made by both sides of this dispute have exposed a deep rift within the Lee family. Whether people care to admit it or not, Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the Lee family name are inextricably linked with Singapore. For many Singaporeans, conflict of this nature within the Lee family extends beyond being just a private family dispute, especially when so many public allegations and counter allegations have been made and continue to be made, particularly on the way we govern ourselves. And then, there are the other related issues as to the way we behave towards each other and the example we set for the next generation. There is a sense of disquiet because, for those of us who consider Mr Lee Kuan Yew as the foremost founding father of modern Singapore and the legacy that he has left us, we feel personally affected. We feel that Mr Lee Kuan Yew would not wish to see his family in this current state.”
“Okay, I am equally surprised that Mr Pritam Singh is unaware of it. I think, as the Member mentioned, the first set of accounts that they sent to us in 2016, we found so many discrepancies that we sent it back. After the meeting, which was called and discussed, they agreed that there were discrepancies and, therefore, they withdrew that set of accounts. The second set of accounts were sent recently, and they also voluntarily withdrew it for whatever reason, because they did not have enough time to examine it. And then they followed up with a third set of accounts on 24 February 2017. We are still trying to ascertain whether that is accurate, and it is a qualified account by the way.”
“Mdm Speaker, I am surprised that Mr Pritam Singh has asked that because I believe he was the recipient of that letter of demand that we served on him. On the amount that was transferred to us, they had returned us $20 million which we had transferred to them. But in the two and half years that Punggol East was under control by them, they have not been able to account for it until just a short time ago, 24 February. And even then, I think they have submitted three sets of accounts to us at different times, and all of those indicated that they had owed in sinking funds more than $4 million to $5 million. And I think that money would not have been transferred if we had not served our letter of demand on them.”
“Mdm Speaker, I will address the Member's second question first. Pasir Ris-Punggol and other Town Councils may have comments on it but none so bad as AHTC. We have so many agencies, the Courts and so on putting their concerns in. On the first issue, at that time, after the elections, AHTC had yet to return the $20 million of sinking funds that we have transferred to AHTC. That amount has been returned but the final accounts which they had sent to us, we received only on 24 February. And it showed, by their calculation, that they still owed us more than $4 million. They have paid that back after we served a letter of demand on them. But we are going through the accounts to ascertain if there are more funds owed to us. And we will let them know in due course after the auditors have examined their latest statement of accounts which we received only on 24 February this year.”
“While there are lapses in governance, even in the Prime Minister's constituency, as mentioned by Ms Sylvia Lim, these will be highlighted and dealt with transparently and decisively. In addition to Mr Low Thia Khiang successfully running HTC, Mr Chaim See Tong ran Potong Pasir Town Council for many years, over two decades, without running into the same sort of mess which AHTC now finds itself. In addition, it is not only MND which has raised concerns about the goings-on in AHTC. It is well documented that neutral parties − KPMG, the Courts, the Accountant-General's Office − have all raised concerns about the affairs at AHTC, in particular, AHTC's own auditors have not been able to issue a set of unqualified accounts in the last five years. KPMG, an independent professional firm, has also used very strong language in describing the affairs at AHTC. Among other things, KPMG referred to pervasive control failures, inadequate qualified personnel and so on. I believe AHTC has only resolved less than half of the audit points which it is meant to address. It appears that some progress has been made. But should all these points have arisen in the first place? With that, Mdm Speaker, I would strongly support the Bill. 4.26 pm”
“Mr Pritam Singh, if I heard him correctly, implied that the Town Councils (Amendment) Bill amendments are targeted at WP politically, and that it gives advantage to the PAP Town Councils. Mdm Speaker, the amendment Bill applies across the board, both to PAP Town Councils and AHTC. There are only two targets here. One, incompetent governance of Town Councils and, two, attempts to frustrate investigations by the Government into the affairs of the Town Councils. It is true that the amendment Bill does address conduct which WP engaged in in respect of the handover of funds attributable to Punggol East SMC. But that episode simply demonstrates how the existing framework and legislation were insufficient to protect the public good or the interest of residents in Punggol East. The Government surely cannot be expected to sit back and let this sort of event take place a second time. The Government would be remiss in its duty to Singaporeans if it allowed what happened to Punggol East to ever happen again. There is also an implication by both Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Sylvia Lim that MND may not be neutral but may be partisan and will favour PAP Town Councils. I think this is merely a red herring. MND has taken firm action in respect of AHTC only because AHTC has not met the standards required to protect the public interest in its running of its town. I can say with a high level of certainty that if AHTC held itself to the same high standards to which other Town Councils adhered to and conducted their affairs, with the same concern for proper governance as the PAP Town Councils, they would not have issues with MND. MND is acting in the interest of the public and not in the interest of PAP.”
“The amended Town Councils Act will require Town Councils to, amongst other things, ensure timely collection of money payable and ensure money is properly spent by Town Councils. The proposed power of inspection and the power to require compliance reviews are also a welcome change. Town Councils which are managed properly should not be too concerned with these. And the changes will provide residents in the town with confidence that the Government is able to intervene, at an early stage, if there are concerns about governance in the town. Mdm Speaker, some will see the changes proposed to be introduced by the Bill as a political act by the PAP Government to make running a Town Council more difficult for the Opposition. On the contrary, it imposes an equal burden on all Town Councils. There are currently 16 Town Councils, 15 of which are run by PAP. The changes to the Town Councils Act apply equally to PAP-led Town Councils as they do to AHTC which is led by WP. The Government is actually raising standards in respect of conflicts of interest, financial reporting and general prudential matters. There is no free pass given to the PAP or the WP Town Councils. The amendment Bill is a clear demonstration of a commitment to clean governance which has always been one of this Government's guiding principles. What is of singular importance at the end of the day is that the public interest is preserved and that public funds are safeguarded even if it comes at the expense of more stringent requirements on the part of persons who are directly involved. I would be surprised if any Member would disagree with this objective. Mdm Speaker, with your permission, allow me to address some of the points raised by Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Sylvia Lim.”
“Town Councils were constituted to serve a specific purpose for the residents living within a particular town. The Town Councils Act deems members, officers and employees of Town Councils to be public servants for the purpose of the Penal Code. Whilst this confers certain additional protections, it does mean that they are, in certain respects, held to the highest standard than the man-in-the-street. Town Councils deal with public funds. They should also not seek to frustrate the functions of Government bodies by being uncooperative or non-responsive. The proposed new section 48A gives further bite to the proposed section 21A by stipulating that the Chairman or Secretary of the Town Council may be personally liable for a Town Council's breach of section 21A. This would certainly help encourage the leadership of Town Councils to provide all necessary cooperation to various Government agencies. I welcome this change. The last thing you would want in the middle of an investigation is to be stonewalled. And the possibility that the Chairman or Secretary will be personally liable will certainly encourage them to get the Town Council to act more expeditiously or to cooperate with Government agencies charged with fact-finding. The final change I would like to speak about is clause 20 of the amendment Bill which amends the provisions of the Town Councils Act relating to financial reporting. The current version of the Town Council Act already provides for the implementation of financial rules but the amendment Bill gives them bite. Again, this is a welcomed change and now puts the rules on a statutory footing.”
“While these are improvements over the current provisions, the provision set out in clause 9 of the Bill does not quite seem to go far enough. On this point, I seem to strangely be in complete agreement with Ms Sylvia Lim. The Bill requires a Town Council member's interest to be recorded in the register of interest and for the Town Council staff to refrain from exercising the relevant power until the Town Council has been given approval. What appears to be missing is an element of public accountability in the sense that these conflicts can be approved by the Town Council itself without input from MND or HDB. Given that such conflicts of interest may be connected to the spending of public money, I believe that it would be in the interest of Singaporeans if, first, any such conflict that has been raised are publicly notified to residents of the town and, secondly, if the matter involves the expenditure of Town Council funds, for the approval of HDB to be required to proceed with the matter notwithstanding the conflict. Knowing that conflicts of interest are to be publicly scrutinised is something which would be beneficial to the governance structure of the Town Councils. In addition, requiring a third party to approve conflicts of interest will avoid any allegations of whitewashing of conflicts of interest which may otherwise arise. Clause 14 of the amendment Bill proposes a change to set out clearly the relationship between Town Councils and statutory authorities and would require Town Councils to comply with certain directions of the authorities. I agree with this approach. While Town Councils are run autonomously, they are not autonomous self-governing regions which are not subject to the laws of the land.”
“Mdm Speaker, I had been Chairman of a Town Council previously and I understand some of the challenges which are involved in running a Town Council. This Bill is of great interest to me as the number of the prudential safeguards sought in the Bill are relevant to the circumstances in which I took over Punggol East SMC following the 2015 General Election. Many of the points that I intended to make have already been said by PRPTC Chairman Mr Zainal Sapari and I will not repeat them. I will confine my remarks to the Bill to these prudential safeguards. The last amendment of the Town Councils Act took place in 2005 and one of the changes which was effected then was the creation of an offence for the usage of funds in a manner not specifically authorised by the Act. The change was intended to, in the words of the then Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How, "to strengthen corporate governance of Town Councils going forward". That was and remains a very relevant goal. There is much public interest in and scrutiny of the way public bodies conduct themselves these days. This is a good thing. It keeps the Government and public entities on their toes. This interest and scrutiny are even more pronounced when matters relating to public funds are concerned and I believe it is the right thing that we hold ourselves to the highest standard when it comes to stewardship of public money. The expanded conflict of interest provisions in clause 9 of the amendment Bill, therefore, seeks to achieve this by requiring conflicts which members of Town Council may have in relation to a particular issue to be placed on record and by requiring a suspension of the exercise of powers of staff of a Town Council who may be in a position of conflict.”
“However, these should be individuals who are prepared to anchor their businesses in Singapore. SBF's SME Committee has similarly recommended that the existing EntrePass scheme be enhanced. This scheme allows eligible foreigners to start and operate a new business in Singapore. I would like to ask the Minister how the Government intends to strengthen Singapore's ability to attract more global entrepreneurial talent here to bring more life and vigour to our local startup scene.”
“Some companies may see the need to transform but do not know how to go about doing so. Others may be unsure about whether it will be worth the money to invest in these new technologies and change the way they do business. They may also be worried about business downtime. In view of this, how is the Government supporting our companies in their transformation journeys to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies? How will the Government help our companies build new capabilities so that they can remain relevant and seize new opportunities for growth? Global Talent and Mindset Next, I would like to touch on startups and our innovation ecosystem. Startups are becoming increasingly prominent in the global economy, both as creators of economic value and as disruptors of existing industries. Many countries are placing increasing emphasis on attracting and retaining global entrepreneurial talent to catalyse a vibrant startup culture, much like Silicon Valley, which is a melting pot of the best and brightest tech minds from all over the world. In Singapore, we are in the process of building an increasingly vibrant startup ecosystem. The CFE report speaks of world-renowned universities and research institutions, and we even teach entrepreneurial skills in our schools now. Many young people want to start up their own businesses, and this is a very encouraging sign for our economy. But more can be done. CFE noted that a vibrant startup ecosystem requires capable entrepreneurs with a global outlook. Given Singapore's small size, one of the subcommittees recommended that the Government review the existing work pass system, so that it is easier for startup founders and key executives to come to Singapore.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. Singapore's manufacturing sector has always been a strong anchor for our economy while also being at the same time a key source of our competitiveness which provides us with links to the rest of the world. Our manufacturing sector has been a good source of growth and a provider of valuable jobs for many years. The sector also helps to diversify our production base and export markets. I was, therefore, very pleased to note that the report by CFE recommended that Singapore continue building a globally competitive manufacturing sector and should retain manufacturing at around 20% of our GDP over the medium term. It will, however, be challenging for our manufacturing companies to stay relevant and competitive in the current global manufacturing landscape. Technological advances in the industry have made things far more efficient today and the employment of technology in the form of robotics and additive manufacturing has become more widespread. The use of industrial robots in manufacturing can also help to increase the overall operational efficiency in a wide range of areas. Robots can operate with much more precision and consistency than human operators and also can be employed in processes or instances where it may not be optimal to deploy a human. On the other hand, additive manufacturing injects greater speed and flexibility in the product development and prototyping process. It can also help to shorten supply chains so that the final product is ready more quickly. The Government has always encouraged our companies to embrace change and transform themselves. In this particular context, it will mean being open to tapping on these advanced manufacturing technologies for new opportunities. However, we all know that change is difficult.”
“Finally, it was recently announced that A*STAR will be transforming itself, quoting the news reports, "to keep pace with industry changes and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration". A*STAR plays an important role in our innovation system. It bridges the gap between academia and industry, and partners enterprises across the spectrum to transfer and co-develop technologies. Could the Minister provide a little more elucidation on what A*STAR's transformation will entail and how A*STAR will be better organised to support the changing needs of industry? Research and Innovation”
“I would, therefore, like to ask the Minister whether ITMs will be able to promote resource-pooling among businesses. Innovation In my second cut, I would like to address the broader topic of innovation and how we can strengthen our innovation ecosystem. This is very important, because we are entering a new phase of growth that will be increasingly driven by technology and innovation. ITMs are a step in the right direction, but transforming industries is not easy, with many stakeholders involved. This is why we must get our innovation and productivity strategies right. We have done well in the past and, over the years, we have built up a dynamic research ecosystem with excellent research-intensive universities, mission-oriented research institutes under A*STAR, as well as a growing base of innovative local companies. The challenge is to do even better, given our slowing workforce growth. Competition is also intensifying as other countries, including some in this region, are taking steps to increase their attractiveness as innovation hubs. More broadly, we must ensure that we have a robust research RIE system in place to complement our efforts under the ITMs. The Government has made significant investments in R&D over the years, including the latest $19 billion investment under RIE2020. It is important to ensure that we have structures and policies in place, so that our R&D investments can lead to positive economic outcomes. In particular, in line with the trend of open innovation, it is important to forge connections and partnerships across public and private sector players in our ecosystem. I would, therefore, like to ask the Minister how we can strengthen our innovation ecosystem so that we can better prepare our companies to keep pace with technological developments.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. I will speak on both my cuts. The first cut relates to industry transformation and how we can help our businesses lower costs through a practice known as resource pooling. The second cut I will address innovation. The Government has said that industry transformation will require strong partnerships at various levels. To this end, ITMs aim to coordinate policies from different agencies for each of the 23 industries covered by the Government's Industry Transformation Programme. Each ITM is led by a single agency with overall responsibility for coordinating among the relevant agencies. This makes very good sense and is less confusing for our companies, who can look to the lead agency for their industry. 6.15 pm I understand also that the Government wants to work closely with our unions and TACs to promote industry transformation. This is also something to be encouraged as these stakeholders can provide valuable feedback, insights and connections to help us with this. But apart from these sorts of public-private partnerships, another type of partnership is also needed to take place more often and on a larger scale, namely, partnerships within the private sector. For example, businesses, especially SMEs, can consider employing a practice known as resource pooling. This refers to the sharing of the purchase cost of big-ticket items amongst companies which need to use it, thus lowering the cost per SME. This will help us adopt new technologies, which can sometimes be expensive to adopt without sufficient scale. Resource pooling amongst businesses has proven effective in raising productivity and lowering business costs. However, it remains less common in Singapore, compared to countries like Japan.”
“In 2016, we grew at 2% which, as the Minister for Finance has observed, is at the lower end of the 2%-3% target referred to by CFE, even though it is still in line with the medium-term projections. Mr Chairman, the effects of this have, however, been felt by Singaporeans and many residents I have spoken with in my constituency they have told me that they are personally feeling the pinch of the slower growing economy. With this in mind, I would like to ask the Minister for Trade and Industry to elaborate on the outlook for Singapore's economic growth in the short to medium term and how it will continue to create good jobs for Singaporeans. Outlook for the Singapore Economy”
“Mr Chairman, Singaporeans today enjoy a standard of living that is comparable to that of most advanced economies in the world. This has been made possible by our sustained economic growth through the years. We have also weathered several economic crises in our short history. Significant recent examples of these are the Global Financial Crisis at the end of the last decade, the bursting of the Dotcom Bubble in the early 2000s and the Asian Financial Crisis in the late 1990s. Each time, we have come out of these crises more resilient, and we learn lessons from them and diversify our economy. While the global economy seems to be recovering from the most recent financial crisis, growth is projected to be subdued and lower than in the previous decade. Furthermore, the events that took place last year in the United Kingdom (UK) and in the US point to a world that is turning increasingly inwards. This is a worrying trend, which seems to have found some traction in some other countries, including a number in continental Europe. While a move away from globalisation will likely hurt all economies, small and open ones like Singapore's will be hit particularly badly, as our fortunes are inextricably tied to the rest of the world's. The report produced by CFE recognises these challenges. It also says that we can aim for 2%-3% growth in the medium term. However, this is quite a bit lower than the 5% that we were used to for many years. For example, our gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaged 5% from 2001-2010, despite the bursting of the Dotcom Bubble at the start of that period and the Global Financial Crisis at the end of the decade.”
“Mdm Speaker, supplementary questions. The Minister for National Development had said that MND will be reviewing the Town Councils Act. Can the Senior Minister of State tell us when this review will be completed and if MND would consider including it in the Act penalties for wilful acts of concealment or non-cooperation with MND, HDB or other agencies which result in MND, HDB or other agencies being unable to detect or assess financial transactions which may be of public interest, or of non-compliance with the Act? Will the Minister also consider including in the Town Councils Act provisions to enable MND, HDB or other agencies to compel Town Councils and their contractors to provide records in the event of non-cooperation by Town Councils or their agents in connection with investigations into the affairs of Town Councils?”
“This scheme should not become something like a proportional representation, to allow the party with the second highest vote share to have a certain quota to nominate their candidates. If we change the NCMP scheme into proportional representation to a certain extent, will it be constitutional? The percentage of votes garnered by the WP in Punggol East was almost 9% higher than that in the East Coast GRC. However, the WP is now proposing to transfer the Parliament representation entitled by the Punggol East voters to East Coast GRC voters. Is this fair to the Punggol East voters? WP claimed that they wanted to represent Singaporeans, but does their Motion truly respect the people's will? I hope Members can ponder on this carefully. The Prime Minister mentioned two days ago that the Government would confer NCMPs the same voting rights as elected Members and will increase the minimum number of Opposition Members in Parliament. This means that the NCMP scheme will become even more important. Hence, I hope that the WP will be able to clarify their stance regarding the NCMP scheme. Do they support the NCMP scheme? In the next election, will they ensure that all their candidates are prepared to fulfil their duties towards the voters under the system? I hope the WP would be able to clarify this so that the voters will be well-informed in the next election before casting their sacred votes. 5.51 pm”
“WP has recommended Mr Daniel Goh to take over Ms Lee Li Lian as an NCMP. I think this is not a reasonable request. Let us compare an NCMP with an elected MP. Just like my Parliamentary colleague, Mr Charles Chong, has mentioned: if any elected Member of Parliament cannot fulfil his duty for some reasons, the seat cannot be transferred. If it is an SMC, then according to our Constitution, the seat must be filled through by-election to elect another Member. Back then, Ms Lee Li Lian was elected into Parliament through a by-election. To be fair, the NCMP seat should also not be transferable. If there are only three Opposition Members in Parliament now, then perhaps for the sake of having enough Opposition Members, we can allow one of the NCMP seats to be filled. But now, we already have a total of eight Opposition Members. If Ms Lee Li Lian did not decline this seat, there would have been nine Opposition Members. In the future, there will be at least 12 Opposition Members. Furthermore, an NCMP will have the same voting rights as an elected Member, which means that they will be able to influence national policies. Hence, the legitimacy and the appointment of the NCMP will become more important. I hope that the Government can review the relevant legislation to make sure that the NCMP seat will maintain its legitimacy. The NCMP scheme is already written into our Constitution. The system ensures that, regardless of the election results, in constituencies where the vote shares are very close, the Opposition parties will have the chance to represent their voters in Parliament. Therefore, only the losers who garnered the highest vote share can be qualified as an NCMP.”
“She said that Singapore's election system is a first-past-the-post system, which can easily result in a situation whereby one party takes up an overwhelming majority of the seats. Hence, the NCMP scheme can allow the people who have voted for the Opposition to be represented in Parliament. If you think these words sound familiar, then you are right! This is the exact reason why the Government implemented the NCMP scheme. Ms Sylvia Lim accepted the NCMP seat in 2006. Back then, she said that since there were more than 50,000 voters in Aljunied GRC who had voted for WP, she felt that she had the obligation to accept the NCMP seat. Since 2006, there have been five WP members who had accepted the NCMP seat. It looks like WP is saying one thing yet doing another when it comes to the NCMP seat. Two days ago, we even heard Mr Low Thia Khiang referring NCMPs as "the duckweeds in a pond". Today, however, he is moving a Motion to bring another piece of "duckweed" into Parliament; or, to "float" into Parliament. I do not understand what the real stance of the WP is! If it is indeed like what Mr Low has said, that the NCMP scheme only benefits the PAP or the Ruling party, then why bother bringing another NCMP into Parliament? Even if we accept that the WP regards the NCMP scheme as an interim measure, there is, however, a WP member who has gone against this stance. Ms Lee Li Lian has refused to take up this seat. I understand that she has her own considerations. However, before the election, the WP should have ensured that all the candidates were prepared to abide by the Constitution and our political system to serve the voters. No candidates should have this attitude that they will serve the voters only if they are elected. The WP has failed to do so and I am very disappointed.”
“But I feel it is a point which bears further consideration. While voting against the Motion would not be in the interest of debate and diversity of voices in this House, this is a Motion that I have difficulty supporting as it stands without expressing my reservations. [Applause.] 5.41 pm Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Normally, I do not like to criticise the Opposition party, but this time, I really have to get it off my chest. The Workers' Party (WP) has always insisted that, in principle, they object to the NCMP scheme. They said that if the Government did away with the GRC system, then there would be more Opposition Members in Parliament and we would not need the NCMP scheme. Let us not debate for now whether this is true or not. I just want to remind all Members, as the Prime Minister said two days ago, that the objective of the GRC system was to ensure enough non-Chinese Members in Parliament to defend our multiracial and multicultural spirit and to ensure that the minorities are not marginalised. This scheme should not be abolished easily. Of course, WP has the right to uphold a principle that is different from PAP's. But the problem is that, when facing an NCMP seat, WP members have a different attitude. WP's Secretary-General Mr Low Thia Khiang said in Parliament in 2010 that he would never accept an NCMP seat. If WP forces him to take up the NCMP seat, he would rather resign, but whether or not other WP members should accept the NCMP seat is up to the Party's decision. WP's Chairman, Ms Sylvia Lim, said in 2009 that this scheme was, in her own words, "overall supportable".”
“In particular, the practice of transferring an NCMP seat to a candidate in a different constituency is not sound in principle. It would be like allowing me, after having won the Election in Punggol East, to decline my seat in Parliament and instead pass it on to the PAP candidate who stood in Aljunied GRC or Hougang SMC. This is not something we permit for constituency Members of Parliament, so we need to review whether this is something which makes sense for NCMPs. In the light of these concerns, I would like the Workers' Party to clarify their position on the transfer of NCMP seats, so that Members, in consideration of the Motion, can make a more informed decision of the factors prompting the request of the filling of the vacated seat with another Workers' Party candidate. For example, it would be useful to understand if the Workers' Party would support a transfer where the next best loser was not a Workers' Party candidate but a candidate from another Opposition party. Mdm Speaker, I am in favour of diverse voices in Parliament. I agree with the Prime Minister this is, on the whole, beneficial in providing a diversity of views, contributes to more considered debates and, therefore, beneficial for Singapore. So, I welcome the amendments to the NCMP scheme proposed by the Government, and in respect of the Motion being debated, I believe the House would be worse off with one fewer Opposition Member contributing to debates and deliberations. However, I do think that it is unfortunate that Ms Lee Li Lian has decided not to accept the seat even though she was the first best loser in the 2015 General Elections. This is a point of principle. I have nothing against the Workers' Party's prospective candidate for the vacated NCMP seat.”