Cheryl Chan Wei Ling
Singapore
“I note that Singapore has been pursing discussions with multiple countries over the past few years, regarding these cooperation activities. Will the Government be able to provide an update on the status of these cross-border discussions and whether they are progressing as expected, and aligned with our infrastructure plans and timelines?”
“Speaker, I have one supplementary question for the Minister of State. I want to ask the Minister of State, given the fact that we do this environmental impact study, will there be a study that will be conducted for every single oil spill and, if so, how long would the monitoring period be?”
“Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. As we go for more resource- and energy-efficient models of agri-tech production, would the Ministry consider taking a more active stand, beyond just grants, to look at areas of R&D, scaling and commercialisation?”
“Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the Minister. I agree with the Minister that these software systems are relatively complex and, generally, you do not just have a single supplier supplying to the overall system.”
“I have got a supplementary question for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. From now till when the official regulation is in place is still some time away. For home owners, they would not have a means to be able to detect formaldehyde levels because they would not know.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have one supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. I recognise the challenges and headwinds that the Senior Minister of State has mentioned, but the reality is beyond just capability building and the grants that are given.”
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“Sir, climate change is fast happening with tangible consequences keenly felt by many worldwide. In the pursuit of meeting net zero emissions by 2050, several countries have adopted carbon pricing to different extent, with this mechanism likely to be a global norm in time to come. While carbon pricing could be one of the levers towards achieving net zero emissions, there are a few clarifications on Singapore’s plan that I wish to seek. Could the Ministry outline in further details on the considerations and roadmap underpinning this net zero target? As carbon emission varies across the industries and each sector has differing operational needs and product lines that result in GHG emission, is the intent to begin with sector specific approach or to have industries across the board to provide proposals on their efforts in reducing GHG at each site over specified time period? Further, will companies be identified in the value chain and efforts be coordinated through the Ministry to enable scale up efforts in accelerating the decarbonisation process and possibly enabling the sharing of cost in platforms or tools that can assist players within the same industry to benefit from economy of scale? As businesses begin to internalise the cost of carbon price impact versus the implementation cost of actions to reduce emissions, how will the Government ensure that the GHG reduction impact is properly measured and accounted for with respect to the targets set at each interval? Will further review be conducted to validate if the revised carbon tax level is deemed adequate at 2026/2027 to achieve the targets set? Without our own power sources, our reliance on natural gas means the energy supply is a large carbon source that we need to actively consider to decarbonise.”
“At the same time, are more energy efficient technologies being explored for water treatment? Water Conservation”
“Sir, to many, Singapore has a successful water story. From water conservation to building our own water taps. But is this sufficient? PUB has placed emphasis on driving home the awareness on water conservation and set a target to achieve 130 litres usage per person per day by 2030 from the current 141 litres in 2019. In the 2018/2019 household study conducted by PUB, it showed that shower, flushing, kitchen and laundry constituted 77% of its total water usage and the consumption increased by 20% for households with domestic helpers. Since the pandemic started, our hygiene alertness has significantly heightened. There is more extensive washing and higher frequency of cleaning in households, public areas and workplaces. While we hope these good hygiene habits continue to prevent the next potential spread of disease, I would like to ask whether the Ministry observed more water usage for maintaining such hygiene standards? Does the work-from-home setting change the consumption usage by the households and what are the other initiatives the Government plan to introduce to improve water conservation? While raising awareness and changing consumption habits are important, we need to complement efforts beyond these. For example, HDB to consider changing to purpose-built waterless urinal design for new flats, or using other methods to remove dirt from void decks and common corridors instead of high pressure water jets. I am glad we have over the years built alternate water taps like desalination and NEWater. They are weather resilient technologies, but equally energy intensive. As Singapore is currently unable to harness all of the rainfall for usage, I would like to know how PUB is planning to maximise capacity of the underground water storage systems?”
“Sir, the ability to have fresh air and not take in second-hand smoke is an option that everyone should have if they are given a choice. Despite knowing the harms of smoking and increasing prices of tobacco products in Singapore, the smoking rate in Singapore remains at about 10% in 2020. After the introduction of NSZ at Orchard Road, many are eagerly hoping that NSZ can be expanded especially nearing housing estates and provide permanent digital enforcement at the playgrounds, parks and common corridors of HDB blocks. Can the Ministry provide an update if there is any intent to expand NSZ in other areas of Singapore following the early pilots? Extension of Smoking Prohibition”
“Can NEA provide an update on the sustainable resource recovery solutions piloted thus far? For high volume generated waste materials, what has the Government’s effort been in reducing them jointly with the industry? I suggest a greater focus on waste reduction in immediate term, from more direct partnerships with business associations and corporations with large waste disposal to find ways to reduce and to reduce the packaging for local food delivery and introduce more environmentally friendly disposable packaging. Floods and Coastal Protection”
“Sir, Semakau Landfill is projected to be full by 2035. There is an overall decline in waste generation for the past four years, this is a good sign but is this sustainable when our domestic consumption has not significantly reduced, and recycling rates are not increasing proportionately within the industries and general public? I wish to know what more are we doing to extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill? Here, I highlight two areas for improving waste management in Singapore. First, food waste. Discounting the effects of pandemic, the inherent problem lies with the long supply chains for food and losses during the handling and storage. To better manage the supply, we need more focus on technology applications and begin upstream in our food industry. For example, (a) to use technology like blockchains to assist the wholesalers, large importers and large users to provide key sourcing countries with more accurate information on supply demand patterns in variety and volume of food needs through the year. This will help improve harvesting supply at right timing, production volume with less wastage and better understand the impact of increasing unseasonable weather; (b) to provide specific funding and more opportunities to connect the teams in ecosystem working on similar problem statements, for example, the food preservation with fresh producers using new techniques; and (c) conduct a comprehensive study to understand which part of the supply can be transformed locally or at source in order to mandate partially or in full the adoption of the Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook. Second, on ferrous metal scraps, waste from construction and demolition, paper and card boxes. All this waste will go into our landfill if not recycled or handled properly.”
“This involves creative solutioning to problems, existing problems and new ones, working with existing resources and infrastructures instead of investing in new ones each and every time we think of solving a problem. In the longer term, it involves looking at the social compact and the partnerships between the Government and citizens, including the ones with private sectors as we move towards the green transition. To summarise, Sir, with Singapore's reliance on imports for resources, inflation and by extension, the rising cost of living would be a constant fixture in the years ahead. The way to more holistically manage this issue sustainably, in my opinion, is for us to adopt a whole-of-Government and perhaps even a whole-of-society approach. We need to become more increasingly sustainable for our own basic necessities and having some degree of independence for strategic resources by being prudent and intentional in our use of existing resources in solving our country's problems. I will end off with a quote from Charles Darwin: "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one that is more responsive to change". I believe Singapore and Singaporeans have the ability to do so. With that, Sir, I rise in support of the Budget.”
“From a time to enjoy one's retirement – of course, I am not saying that they cannot; they could if they choose to – to another tranche of lifestyle where there is a transfer of knowledge from one generation to another. Lastly, balancing the taxation structure and intensifying the use of existing resources. Rising cost of living also impacts us as a nation as the Government expenditures increase due to sociological changes in demographics and inflation. While Singapore's comparative advantage is in skilled labour and expertise and the ability to attract investments due to our stable socio-economic political climate, it also similarly exposes the risks we as a nation face. The recent Budget by Minister Lawrence Wong outlined new strategies in generating government revenues, primarily through progressive taxation on different income tiers. While this approach may help to enable a more inclusive and equitable society over time, we still run the risk of not being able to address the return of funds into our reserve that we have dipped into or cover the Budget deficits. Also, many of the highly skilled labour and multinational corporations are global citizens in nature. They have the ability to relocate or offshore services as long as the conditions and the new host countries are palatable. This undeniably would have an impact on our Government revenues in the long run and there will be new constraints or challenges to raise corporate taxes unreservedly. As we rethink our nation's taxation structure, it is equally sensible to be prudent in our use of funds and resources as well.”
“For this, I do not mean those in the gig economy that are doing some of the freelance work about deliveries and those where we think more in the blue collar, but really more those in the professional sense, because age will not become a barrier for these individuals and professionals who choose to continue working in the gig economy after the official retirement age. In my previous speeches, I have also raised the need to provide micro jobs for the seniors and the special needs community to better allow more flexibility to provide them a sense of dignity in the road to independence. Could we consider how to expand the scale of micro jobs to fit the needs of part-time workers where women with family care duties and senior workers can also better participate in the workforce? Beyond the need for financial retirement adequacy, our ability to increase the worker's ability to have more active income till later years will enable them to be active, mentally and physically, for a much longer time and such interactions will only help lower their need for healthcare services and thus expenses. While it is not uncommon for senior executives to take on advisory roles during retirement, could this practice be expanded to a greater portion of the workforce? From the expat returnees guiding local enterprises that are looking for internationalisation opportunities or for them to mentor companies by domain expertise or their area of interest, their wealth of experience and network will benefit the ecosystem. This would involve a whole-of-society approach and a change in mindset as to how they perceive their golden years to be.”
“This would help to enable faster experimenting the growth of different crops and allow us for expansion in future, when our local shores are constrained by land availability. The second area I would like to touch on is to increase workers' ability to have more active incomes. Most people are familiar with the concept of active income during their working years until retirement. But with longer life expectancy and later retirement age, the challenge we face is multi-faceted. Often, we hear feedback about ageism at the workplace, a lack of work scope redesign that caters for part-time work, returnees from expatriate postings overseas that are unable to find suitable roles due to seniority and so on. As the world becomes more volatile and uncertain, the possibility of a young worker's career being truncated or relocated, due to the competitive external climate and remote nature of work is looming. Thus, I am glad that we continue to invest in the skills and ensuring our workers' relevance in the workforce. Over the years, much has been done to support the upskilling of workers through SkillsFuture and SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programmes. However, beyond that, what can be done to provide supplemental pathways to enable our workers to have additional income streams beyond their day job? In picking up freelance roles, it will also allow flexibility in learning new skills, augment their savings and buffer the slack in the workforce.”
“In building these capabilities, a more intentional effort to scale up the number of local enterprises, bringing their expertise international and to better export Singapore's brand beyond education and governance. Due credit is to be given to Enterprise Singapore for its efforts in helping local enterprises internationalise and assisting the startups. The next steps would be increasing the number and breadth of the different types of enterprises to enable them to create a value chain with scale that can truly create an impact to Singapore's ability in being more self-reliant, especially in the strategic industries. While these companies' international growth is important to us, the larger benefit of their growth is the ability to tap on the resources of raw materials, labour and produce overseas to secure the supply for needs back in Singapore. There have been some successful enterprises like PSA, CapitaLand and many others, who have scaled its international operations over the years and are able to compete internationally. We need more of them and the group of enterprises to create different value chains that are significant to our own supply needs. To illustrate this, I would use an example of the food industry. The "30 by 30" plan today outlined the focus on the supply of 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030, but it does not include how we are looking at the food volume supply. In expanding the food supplies, we need to look beyond just basic procurement of supplies. Instead, help local enterprises to scale with partnership models in Southeast Asia or countries where there are swathes of land for agriculture, but they require technology to increase the yield.”
“1% in December 2021, and with the impending hike of the GST, it is only natural that the cost of living continues to bear on the minds of our people. While I am thankful that the Government uses tax rebates, cash payouts and other forms of aid to cushion the impact of the GST hike for a large majority of Singaporeans, particularly the low-income group, I would like to raise the following for consideration towards a multi-prong approach to address the rising cost of living on the longer-term horizon. First, strengthening resiliency in critical supply chains locally and globally. Supply chain bottlenecks have been a pertinent issue in 2021, exacerbating in the last quarter with a spill-over that may persist through a large part of 2022. The supply chain effects result in rising pressure on all fronts that touches the lives of every individual: from food, transport, utilities and more. With more severe weather patterns occurring globally and unstable political situations, the likelihood of an end to escalating inflation and costs are nowhere in sight. Singapore's scarcity of natural resources and heavy reliance on imports for necessities from food to energy, meant the impetus to redesign our supply chains and buffers to better weather the inflation due to shortages from time to time is critical. I am certain the agencies have thought about this, the need for diversification and the vulnerabilities of not doing so, as illustrated in the creation of NEWater and the "30 by 30" plan. But what I am suggesting is for a more concerted and focused approach by looking across the entire value chain and deepening our access of capabilities into the critical elements of each part of the value chain.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, in the 2019 Budget debate, I spoke about the need for a "decent living wage" for the lower-income workers, in particular, those with young families, so that they can have more cash at the end of the month and not have to live hand-to-mouth. I am glad that there are actions since by the Government, implementing Progressive Wage Model (PWM) across more sectors, more social programmes to support these families, and in this current Budget, there are more schemes to uplift the lower-income group. This pandemic has seen our strong dependence on the essential workers in Singapore and globally. As we speak, the need for frontline workers to get us through this pandemic has not subsided. Let us remember, we need every segment in our society in good and bad times. Thus, I am supportive of the measures in this Budget that will drive us forward as a nation and help those that are more in need. Our ability to accept this and contribute meaningfully in our own way is what defines us as a growing country that keeps up with time. I see Budget 2022 as a crucial turning point as we adapt to a post-pandemic life, pivoting our industries to the new economy and learning what it takes to address nation building with our citizens at different life stages. A few things stood out for me in Budget 2022 – our strengthened focus on the green transition, building new capabilities for the future, involving Singaporeans to enable healthy ageing in place and addressing concerns on cost of living. Sir, as we seek to forge a new normal, the lingering effects from the pandemic and the lessons learnt must be taken dearly. With core inflation having risen to 2.”
“While Minister Tan See Leng has outlined the four switches for energy, it seems difficult for us to embark on any material change of alternate supply from natural gas within the coming decade. Are there opportunities in the longer term to focus on how our carbon capture capabilities and storage or utilisation can be shared cross-borders or developed in locations where underground geologic formation permits? It would be helpful if the Minister can shed more insights on our plans in this area. Notwithstanding the above raised, I support the Bill, as it is crucial for us to plan ahead on critical elements for future implementation and laying the path for our ability to adapt and change to cater to the ever-growing need for energy.”
“Similarly, as we prepare for the pivot towards mass electrification, for example, in vehicles, I would like to ask whether the electricity distribution grids and substations will be able to cope with the surge in usage and demand. If not, will further actions be taken to address them so as to ensure balanced stability in energy consumption over time? Moving on, let me raise the point about consumption pattern and energy allocation of power supply. As a resource-constrained nation, we are resigned to the fact about our predominant need for energy imports. Yet, I believe it is ever so important for us to be more intentional and conscious with regard to our energy usage and allocation. As a manufacturing hub for higher value-add technologies and digitalisation, some services like data centres, foundries and green fuels will bring benefits to our broader ecosystem. But to serve their presence and expansion involves a relook at our manufacturing portfolio as well as production patterns. There may be a need for us to be more precise on the roadmap of matching or differentiating their industrial activities’ needs versus the household activities and the office building demands by the time of the day. Has COVID-19 changed some of this and the new way of work? It warrants some hard look at the fresh data. In times of critical moments, how we allocate energy resources among various stakeholders could have far-reaching implications should there be any disruption to energy supplies or the need to meet our own carbon commitments. Lastly, the longer-term plans for Singapore’s decarbonisation of energy sources. Diversification has long been a cornerstone of Singapore’s public policy on resources, be it water or energy.”
“These infrastructure projects are extremely costly and the appropriate choice of technology selected at any point will give rise to future impact on sufficiency in supply while also having to meet the evolving and higher bars of climate change goals. On this note, I would like to ask the Minister in the case that we switch to lower carbon sources, for example, hydrogen, this would mean some changes are required for the pipelines and electricity grids. There is also a likelihood for more public-private partnership to involve the local players and overseas companies with the expertise to enable adoption of microgrid supplies as we transition to prevent any disruption. May I know what are the expectations and parameters in which Singapore may likely adopt or move towards such changes? Second, the impact on Smart Nation status for businesses and prioritisation for energy. The transition towards being a Smart Nation and an attractive industry or business hub for global players to form a base in Singapore is an energy-intensive play and one with a long tail. Having said that, I belong to the school of thought that we should pursue this aspiration and continue to strengthen our ability to support these industries as they set foot on our shore. However, I feel that the path to evolve is one where the industry players and businesses here must take an active role in shaping and contributing their share of reducing energy needs and, concurrently, using technologies to enable adaptation of their facilities for usage of greener energy sources or to decarbonise existing infrastructures.”
“Given our limited land and rooftop spaces, there is a practical limit to how much we can harness from solar energy within our shores. It is thus imperative that we look further to explore importation of renewable energy sources from other countries through regional grids. However, in the race to decarbonise each economy, neighbouring countries would have their own domestic carbon reduction commitments to achieve in the near term and may not be as forthcoming towards sale of these electricity sources to us. Just this month, Malaysia’s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry announced that only non-renewable energy is allowed to be exported to Singapore, and power sales through self-developed transmission and interconnection facilities to Singapore will not be allowed. Apart from Malaysia, I believe we may encounter similar situations with others. How then would we prepare to overcome this if Singapore’s ability to import renewable sources are limited by export measures set by other countries’ domestic considerations? Could the Ministry share whether this change in stance from Malaysia has any impact on the trial project of the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP)? It appears that continuing to import natural gas to fulfil our usage is inevitable. Today, it is a question about whether we have hedged sufficient supply to serve our needs. Tomorrow, it will be one about whether we have the ability to offset the carbon footprint generated from these non-green fuel sources. In my view, establishing the ground infrastructure and having a detailed transition plan to accommodate the future combination of low carbon or green fuels in our energy generation and distribution system are fundamental.”
“Mr Speaker, with recent frequent reports on the tight energy situation both globally and locally, the topic about energy resiliency in Singapore and how this would impact electricity bills and the cost of living weigh on many people’s minds. While logic will tell us that it is unavoidable for energy prices to rise in the short term due to a confluence of external factors, I think many would still find difficulty in understanding what we, as a nation, have to contend with in terms of the energy supply chain and its potential impact resulting in a situation of electricity shortage. Thus, it is, indeed, timely that we are now reviewing the changes required for energy resiliency in Singapore. For this Bill, I have three areas to raise and seek clarifications. First, the specifics about critical levers in the energy resilience measures. To enhance Singapore’s energy resilience in the longer term, it is important for us to look at it holistically from the entire value chain. We have existing assets and infrastructures that span this value chain today. But our challenge remains with the strong need for importation of energy sources. I would thus like to ask which aspect will our resiliency measures moving forward be focused on: raw material sources, including green options, energy generation, the grid distribution that supports low-carbon electricity or better balancing of power allocation and usage between industries and consumers? In this year’s Committee of Supply (COS) debate, Minister Tan See Leng outlined that we are developing four "supply switches": natural gas, solar energy, regional grids and low-carbon alternatives, such as hydrogen, to decarbonise our electricity grids.”
“Maximising contribution to the OA during the active income years before increasing the allocation to the SA from 35 to 55 years of age and subsequently for the MediSave to be raised through the SA and OA after a specific age and in line with medical costs during that time period. This is especially so as the nature of work is fast evolving, more are seeking self-employment. The definition of job security and stability do not have the same representation as before. There are also individuals who could be taking on more than two jobs at different stages of their life. Hence, I suggest that a review be undertaken and more holistically ensure that we are able as a nation to better cater for retirement adequacy for all. Sir, notwithstanding what I have raised, I rise in support of the Bill.”
“And, Sir, going beyond the amendments of the Bill, I would like to raise two other points for further consideration. First, on the special needs community. Caring for the special needs community and having them included in the scheme is something that I feel passionately about. I had previously raised in this House regarding the creation of micro jobs to ensure that these individuals when they become young adults, are able to gain some independence and be a part of the workforce. Thus, against the backdrop of changes to the CPF in allowing more relaxation on the withdrawal of CPF monies, I would like to suggest that we also consider how best to safeguard this community and by extension to their families and caregivers in times of need. For example, the simplification of processes for them to access the funds when their caregivers are no longer around or to apportion more funds for their medical needs as they are more likely to require that on the long run. Next, rethinking the CPF’s current allocation rates design. With the landscape of work changing and more choosing to embark on flexi work or self-employment, perhaps it is timely in the near future for us to review the CPF’s allocation rates to the three different buckets – the Ordinary Account (OA), the Special Account (SA) and the MediSave Account – to better provide for retirement adequacy whilst ensuring we meet our housing, education and healthcare needs. With the current design categorised according to age groups, perhaps it might be worth rethinking if more nuances are required in the current allocation principle and rates.”
“Does the Ministry have any projections on the implications of these changes in the form of retirement adequacy and to what extent will it help the self-employed or those working in the gig economy? These voluntary contributions can be paid either by the member or from their family members’ contribution. With an ageing population in Singapore, whilst the younger generation helps to contribute to their parents' or grandparents’ MediSave accounts and will bridge the immediate support for their healthcare needs, have we considered what are the correlated effect that would be on the family members assisting to top up the CPF of their loved ones? Will the same issue of healthcare MediSave sufficiency be an issue for the next generation if they do not have sufficient cash set aside for medical purposes or are without additional medical insurance? I think it will be more beneficial for the younger cohort of the working population to be offered financial literacy on how to better manage their retirement needs and in the process learn to balance their own needs versus providing for their parents or the elderly. Another area is providing a new and simplified process for the distribution of unnominated CPF monies on a member’s death. This is certainly an applauded move. As in February this year, it was just shared that only more than two in five CPF members have made a nomination with those among 65 and above higher at three in four having done so. Tying this point to the earlier note I made about the discretionary automatic disbursements to the member, if he or she is a beneficiary or nominee of the CPF account from another person, would there be a specified limit that prevents them from receiving any future social support?”
“Mr Speaker, I will be touching on the CPF (Amendment) Bill. As the CPF is one of the key financial resources for most Singaporeans, it is imperative that any changes to be introduced are properly communicated and due care be given to enable the public to understand what these changes mean to them. Given there are a number of amendments to be made and a few areas where the specifics to the conditions laid out are not entirely clear, I wish to seek several clarifications. Under clause 4 section 15AA, allowing CPF to make automatic disbursements to the member if he or she is suffering from a specified significant condition. First, can more details be shared on the significant condition that entails this exception? Does it refer to a health condition, and if so what kind, or does it refer to a financial situation of the said member? Second, if the member is currently covered under a social assistance programme, will the CPF disbursement impact his or her eligibility from continued assistance under the current social assistance scheme? I hope that these discretionary disbursements based on the member’s situation is meant to help supplement their situation and does not have the unintended consequence of putting them in a worse position, should they be relieved of any social assistance programmes or the support scheme being significantly reduced after the lump sum disbursement is made. Under section 13, lifting the cap annual limit for certain types of voluntary contributions to the Medisave account. I believe this move is a welcome one, especially for those self-employed, better enabling and ensuring that their healthcare needs are taken care of.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, just one. I want to thank the Minister for detailing all the measures that are put in place to ensure the BTO projects will continue in construction, and also to clarify the dates because I have heard a lot of feedback on this aspect. The question I want to ask the Minister is, just now he mentioned that progressively there will be more BTOs that will be pushed out, even beyond 17,000 over time. Given the fact that there is also a very vibrant resale market currently, how is the Ministry going to balance between the resale market, just to make sure that the prices are still healthy, and also the future BTO flats in place?”
“Having medical insurance does, indeed, help take some financial and mental pressure off the individual and their family. This may allow them to better focus on improving and have better health outcomes. But as a country, it is pivotal that we try our utmost to support them through the RDF and other means and jointly work towards our vision of creating a more caring and inclusive society. To conclude, Mr Deputy Speaker, the RDF is indeed necessary and very helpful for those with rare diseases. After all, every bit counts. However, it is timely that we ask whether RDF has achieved its initial objectives and what more can we do to make it more inclusive. I look forward to the Senior Minister of State's reply.”
“Given the limited drugs that are available for each rare disease, the drug manufacturers can consider, as their social effort, to pay it forward and balancing the cost offset with other commercial drugs in their portfolio by subsidising the cost of trial or unique medication, or what they call "novel drugs" for patients. This will greatly assist the patients as they are restricted by options, to begin with, and unable to bear the cost of standard commercial models of drugs and treatment. So, this is probably a critical way forward for a sustainable outcome. Finally, on medical insurance for those with rare diseases. Many of those with rare diseases do heavily rely on insurance to manage medical costs. However, the knotty situation is that many insurance products excludes pre-existing conditions, and even if the insurance does allow for some pre-existing conditions, it comes at a very high premium. The pricing of insurance premiums is a delicate one. Through a risk-pooling mechanism, insurers seek to diversify the risk of payout. Generally, in recent times, insurance premiums have been increasing, with increased consumption of medical services as an oft-cited reason. While active measures have been taken to keep the insurance premiums in check, this will place an even heavier toll on those with rare diseases; if only they are covered in the first place. In order to allow for better access to medical insurance and a more manageable and sustainable insurance premiums for those with rare diseases, can insurance companies consider providing coverage under a higher co-payment condition for those with rare diseases? Alternatively, could the RDF be explored to partially offset the cost for the insurance premium in order to assist them?”
“The following two points would explore how to ensure the sustainability of the RDF and the role of medical insurance and drug manufacturers in achieving this goal together. So, first, the efficacy and sustainability of the RDF. Apart from the seed fund, the RDF is heavily reliant on community donations matched by the Government grant, with eventual reliance on investment returns. However, with the call to increase the scope of conditions and drugs included, it is inevitable this will lead to more funds required if the number of beneficiaries grows. Herein lies the question: how do we ensure sustainability of the RDF, so that the RDF would be able to last the beneficiaries a lifetime and also account for an increase in the number of recipients? As last year has shown, community donations are very much dependent on economic conditions. However, those suffering from rare diseases cannot stop treatment and wait for the conditions to improve, regardless of economic conditions. So, how can we encourage a more sustainable and recurring model of community donations? Besides raising awareness on the RDF for more fundraising efforts, can corporate donations that span over a period of five to 10 years be explored with differentiated tax treatment? In so doing, it could increase donations from corporates or family offices. With some certainty in donations, it could help to act as a bulwark against the smaller community donations that are more dependent and fluctuate according to economic conditions.”
“While it is understood that the RDF is currently considering more drugs for eligibility, could the Minister shed more light on the process and timeline of the type of drugs under evaluation? In order to expedite approval and eligibility to allow more beneficiaries for this fund, could there be an opportunity for the RDF to collaborate with overseas governments and institutions to exchange research and information? This will better accelerate local understanding of different rare diseases and the corresponding drugs and treatments here. Current eligibility for drugs under the RDF follows a rigorous process. I am not against a rigorous process, as, rightfully so, this matters lives. But could some relaxation on the criteria for drug approval be exercised to include palliative care as well? For the Krabbe Disease, there are, currently, no cures with the existing treatments. What is available, usually, involves the relief of the severity of the symptoms as well as supportive care. Only a limited number of success in infants who were given stem cell transplants at an early age had been known at this stage. For the 43 Singaporeans with Krabbe Disease, they have to shoulder the high medical costs year after year. If the drug eligibility could be relaxed, I believe this would bring some respite and cheer to them and help them to continue life with zest despite the perennial looming thought that the disease has no cure and the treatment can only allay their symptoms. Looking at our nation with an ageing population and the likely exponential budgets we are projecting for future healthcare costs, I can only imagine the treatment costs for rare diseases and, consequently, the RDF as no exception.”
“While I can understand that it is not feasible to be comprehensive and exhaustive to cover all rare diseases for eligibility, could we do more to expand the current scope of conditions? The sad truth is that some of these rare diseases that affect young children currently do not have any treatments that are readily available and, even if they do have some form of preventive measures, the measures would, usually, result in death. Hence, it is very important that for conditions with appropriate treatments and medications, we provide sufficient resources and support to ensure that these young children who need it, get it. With that, I would like to propose to include coverage of the following two conditions: neuroblastoma and Krabbe Disease. These two conditions have been listed under the 10 most common rare diseases among young children in the world today. Neuroblastoma is one of the most common childhood cancers found in children under the age of five. Neuroblastoma accounts for about 5.3% of all childhood cancers diagnosed in Singapore annually, equivalent to about 15 children from March 2017 to February 2019, and with the cost of treatment going upwards of $1 million and some of the specialist treatments not available in Singapore. Meanwhile, Krabbe Disease is a hereditary genetic disorder and 43 Singaporeans are known to have this. The younger the disease develops in the individual, the more severe it would be as they grow to adulthood. Third, the list of drugs that are eligible for the RDF. With reference to the United States, there are close to 30 million people who suffer from some form of rare disease. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 22 novel drugs in 2019 alone just to combat against a variety of rare diseases.”
“There are possibly reasons why people do not apply: from not fulfilling the eligibility requirements, to other funding sources available, lack of awareness of the existence of the RDF, or some reasons we may not even be aware of. Regarding the eligibility requirements, I would call for an expansion in scope in the list of drugs and conditions eligible for the RDF. But before that, the question is, are there sufficient awareness on the existence of the RDF amongst those who are suffering from rare diseases? I understand that groups like the Rare Disorders Society (Singapore) and Rainbow Across Borders help in raising awareness and providing support to patients with rare diseases. But could there be further touchpoints that could allow those with rare diseases to know more about and benefit from the RDF? For example, this could be more widely shared through the community level and family touchpoints like the general practitioners, pediatricians and polyclinics. Second, the list of conditions that are eligible for the RDF. For the current four eligible conditions for the RDF, there is a strict process in assessing eligibility. Understandably so, as we want to ensure that those who really need the funds can obtain the funds and on a long-term basis. However, for those with rare diseases beyond these four eligible conditions, they face the strictest of processes and a flat rejection. One example would be the Ding family whose young daughter suffers from Turner Syndrome, a condition, currently, that is not eligible and, despite their best efforts in appealing for coverage, they were rejected. There are, presently, over 6,000 types of rare diseases in the world and, yet, only four types are eligible for the RDF.”
“However, a year since November 2019, it was reported by MOH that the value of the RDF had only increased from $90 million to $93 million, with one's hypothesis that a comparatively slower increase could be due to the economic fall-out from COVID-19, which saw a corresponding decrease in public donations. While I understand that the objective of the RDF is to sustainably support beneficiaries, giving them the assurance that financial support will be available over their lifetime, but the number of beneficiaries since the introduction of the RDF appears to be small. Today's Motion seeks to explore ways to increase the uptake of the RDF through more awareness, expanding the scope of eligible conditions and drugs under the RDF. Further, what can be done to ensure sustainability of the RDF through continued encouragement of donation and the involvement of medical insurers and drug manufacturers? In response to a Parliamentary Question by Dr Tan Wu Meng, MOH replied that, currently, only six medicines that treat the four rare conditions are eligible for the RDF, with a few more drugs under consideration. Six beneficiaries are supported with a total of $2 million and, by April 2021, the number of beneficiaries has increased to seven. While I can understand the RDF had, indeed, managed to assist seven beneficiaries, I cannot help but worry about the other 2,000 Singaporeans with rare diseases and how they are being supported. Thus, I would like to raise some points for MOH to consider. First, potential to increase the uptake of the RDF. With only eight applications received since the introduction of the RDF, it begs the question, are we doing enough through the RDF?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, yesterday was Nurses Day. I wish to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all our healthcare workers for the tireless work they have been doing for us all these years and, in particular, during this pandemic. It has not been easy, but we have been very appreciative of all that they have done. Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on the Rare Disease Fund (RDF). Jointly established by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and SingHealth Fund in July 2019, RDF aims to ensure affordability in treatment costs for Singapore Citizens with rare diseases through providing supplemental financial assistance for those who still require it after Government subsidies, insurance and financial assistance, with the premise that treatment is sought at public healthcare institutions. According to the Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE), there are over 2,000 Singaporeans with rare diseases and 700 of them being children. Treatment and medications for rare diseases are for life, with expenses ranging from tens of thousands per month to over half a million per year. Hence, any help for these families is welcomed and much appreciated. Through a $3-to-$1 matching donation from the Government to the RDF, it is with the hope that this would encourage the larger community including philanthropists, corporates, community groups and individuals to join in to support these patients in fostering a more caring and inclusive society. In just five months after the introduction of RDF, the initial fund of $70 million has increased to $90 million.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Let me begin by expressing my sincere condolences to the family of the deceased. Sir, it seems to be that the incidence of bullying in schools is on the rise. So, I would like to ask the Minister if this particular tragedy and also those students who have come forward to seek help or counselling, could it also be related to bullying? And what is MOE doing to address these cases of bullying, as well as cyber bullying in schools?”
“Thus, it is important that we maintain a robust system, albeit electronically, which manages the affairs with great accuracy and continues to uphold the trust between the institution and the public. Notwithstanding my clarifications, I support the Bill. 6.31 pm”
“In clause 7, amendment of section 13(10), would steps be taken by the Public Guardian to authenticate the certificate from the registered medical practitioner, ensuring that it is a true copy? Because as we go electronic and in many of these documentations, sometimes inevitably, that could be errors or that could be gaps. So, if we are not going to do this, how can the public agencies or organisations in which the donee is interacting on behalf of the donor, be assured that there is a validation process in place? On section 33A(3) and (4), could greater clarity be provided on the next step of action should the donor or donee raise objections to the proposed rectification or update of the register? Last but not least, the cost that is involved and the transition process towards electronic LPAs. With this move towards electronic LPAs, would there be any additional cost for the donor in the LPA filing as compared to the non-electronic LPA? Because in clause 9, section 15A, it mentions that if there is any error to the non-electronic LPA, rectification can actually be made on the electronic version. So, my query is: what then would become of the non-electronic LPA? Will it be superseded? Additionally, what is the transition process for the existing non-electronic LPA filed and the impact that it has on the existing protocols related to it? Sir, the move towards digitalisation of public records is an important milestone. It will help with improving efficiency of processes for records checking and cross-usage amongst the authorities and I believe this is a very welcomed move. However, LPA is a sensitive document and it deals with the matters that affect the welfare of citizens, particularly more so for the vulnerable.”
“Under section 10C(2), if more insights can be provided on what the Public Guardian foresees and hypotheses that could constitute valid reasons besides physical disability and electronic transaction system unavailability that is already outlined, for transactions that can be carried out in the form and need not be done electronically. On section 10D(1) and (3), in the event that the Public Guardian has to correct any error or omission in the register or document as a result of the malfunction of the electronic transaction system, would there be any prompt communication to inform both the donor and donee of the correction that has to be done? If so, what would be the service level agreement in informing both the donor and the donee. This is a critical point as outlined in subsection (3) that and I quote, "when an error or omission has been corrected, the error or omission is treated as not having occurred". Should there be an error made by the Public Guardian in the course of rectification, what possible recourse can the donor or donee pursue? Second, to ensure sufficient reach and provision of support for the move towards electronic LPA. I think a few of my fellow colleagues have spoken about this. But I just want to emphasise on one point: with more elderly in Singapore living alone, are there any concrete plans to assist these seniors to file for LPA if they have not done so and to assign deputies earlier to them to better support them in their later years. I believe, many of these seniors and special needs individuals may also be unfamiliar with the legal considerations, so how can we better serve their needs as we pivot towards electronic LPA.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, against the backdrop of changing demographics and in the spirit of digitalising the Public Service, enabling the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to be made electronically is indeed a welcome move for it allows greater efficiency and convenience for the donor, donee and the Ministry. Whilst in the process of improvement and advancement, it is important that we do not forget there are risks involved. Hence, I seek clarity on the safeguards put in place and its adequacy as well as some clarifications regarding specific sections in the amendment Bill. First, ensuring robustness of the nomination process to prevent fraudulent nominations. To provide additional safeguards for donors, it was mentioned that the Public Guardian may interview the donor and disclose to the donor the number of LPAs for which his or her prospective donee had already been appointed, or intends to be appointed. Could the Ministry provide more specifics on the process and how in doing so, would prevent fraudulent nominations and avoid conflict of interest for donees with multiple appointments? Further, how would the process account for and act as a preventive measure for those who are already experiencing an early onset of dementia or individuals with special needs? Regarding process robustness, for section 10B(1)(g) and section 46(2)(b) and (d), could more clarity be shared on (a) what circumstances and considerations would allow for the disclosure of this non-confidential information; (b) who would be allowed the access to this information and (c) will there be any measures in place to ensure that only those permitted have access to the information and that the risk of incorrect disclosure is minimised or even eliminated?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for his very comprehensive reply. I am heartened that we are taking a lot of active actions in terms of what we are doing around carbon credits and how we are going to measure that on an international basis. I have one supplementary question for the Minister. Given the fact that we are now trying to do all these carbon sequestration with other countries overseas, over time, there will come a challenge between countries putting up their carbon taxes as well as how we are going to exchange this in terms of carbon credits. Is the Minister able to give us an insight on what are Singapore's plans if the carbon taxes do rise to a certain significant sum in other countries, because it does not make economic sense in terms of carbon credit offsets between countries?”
“Chairman, I want to thank all the Members who have spoken in the MND COS. As we can all appreciate the work that MND deals with is both broad and complex, as it touches every person's lives on a daily basis, and more importantly throughout their entire life stage. So, I think from housing to workplaces, the construction industry, trees, animals and land use. There is always a constant need for us to tightly balance this, between demand as well as availability. And at the same time, we have to reimagine the city of the future. So, for that, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Minister Desmond Lee, Second Minister Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, Minister of State Faishal, Minister of State Tan, and especially, the hardworking team from the MND family. Sir, earlier today, we discuss much about celebrating the hawker culture, and since it is almost dinner time, I would like to end here, so that everyone can go for more hawker food. And with that Mr Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw amendment.”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have one clarification for Minister Desmond Lee. For companies that are in the Built Environment who are on existing support schemes, if they actually have the intent to improve and invest on capabilities for the longer term, can they actually move from the existing schemes to the integrated GTS support and how should they go about that?”
“The app can provide information for those interested to do community gardening, corridor gardening or urban farming; an opportunity to learn from others with green fingers, exchange notes and other green initiatives to be more successful gardeners. Or the community can exchange secondhand items to reduce usage of new purchases and help some families save on expenses if they have spare resources available. This way, we can become more environmentally conscious with more rallying each other to learn, exchange and reduce wastage. Lastly, build neighbourliness in the community. High-rise littering, cat feeding, noise disturbances and smoking at unauthorised areas are long-standing issues that we have been tackling. There is no silver bullet on how to resolve these. But through availability of data uncovering the root cause and with the help of artificial intelligence, it may minimise the issue if we leverage technology, establish community groups and link them to outreach the offenders or the trigger points, so that they can work on education, encouragement of behavioural change together with various agencies. We may, in the course of action, meet vulnerable individuals and families who need social or mental healthcare that the community can provide to make a difference. This goes beyond a carrot and stick approach in managing sticky issues. I believe we should be open and pilot initiatives to check should this approach help reduce neighbourly disputes, while creating active participation from the complainants and others in the community to tackle the problems and find solutions together.”
“Can MSO provide an update on the improvements that have been made and what other technology-enabled service and improvements can residents look forward to? Over time, we need to evolve the OneService app beyond a reporting tool. During the re-opening of Phase Two, we have seen that the app being used by public to notify the agencies on cases of violation for not wearing masks and not complying to safe social distancing. This may have helped the management of safe distancing and accelerated the habit of public complying to new measures. But, it may also have inevitably created the effect of some divisiveness in the community and not promote a positive sense of active citizenry. Given the strong calls for strengthening kampung spirit in the community, can the app be used as a one-stop neighbourhood platform to connect the community, enable residents' participation and pull resources from a social support angle? Let me give a few examples. First, provision of community services. With an aging population, there is possibly an increase of seniors living without extended family support. The app could serve dual purpose. One, for individuals with handy skills, they can help families do simple jobs of plumbing, changing fixtures, and so on, and earn some side income. Two, volunteers nearby schools and community partner organisations can take this as value in action community project, to give back to those who are in need, such as assisting in grocery shopping and also help with the cleaning of their homes. Second, green community resource panel. As we encourage more to join us on the sustainability journey, I am sure those who do not actively participate today, may want to know more or where they can begin.”
“Mr Chairman, during circuit breaker last year, many services came to a halt. In a few months, trees and grass areas were overgrown, drains and common area maintenance were affected around the island. While some people enjoyed the nature and welcome the sights of wild flora and fauna around the neighbourhood, there were others who were concerned about safety of overgrown tree crowns or affected due to allergy and sensitive health condition. I know that essential services had continued to be provided in as many areas as possible, but we had to face the reality that some services were unable to be carried out for a variety of reasons. Can Minister share during the pandemic, to what extent were the delivery of municipal services affected, what were the challenges the Government agencies faced, and how did the agencies address these challenges to maintain the municipal service standards in Singapore? Since the introduction of OneService app, I have received positive feedback from residents about the app. I am also a user of OneService app and agree with this view. However, there are other feedback that closing the loop on matters can still be further improved. Sometime, the approach used and resolution of the matter does not effectively address the fundamental problem or had not met the expected outcome of the complainant. How can closing the loop on such matters raised be better managed moving forward? MSO announced last year a series of technological improvements such as improving accessibility to services through OneService Lite and AI-powered chatbot. I am certainly supportive of using technology to enhance efficacy of processes and deliver more impactful results.”
“The last mile connection of essential services and products delivery can be co-located with these shops to leverage its convenience, provide community jobs and attract footfall that injects life to the neighbourhood. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Liveable HDB Estates”
“Fourth, create more Wellness community areas with residents. There are open spaces below or between the blocks of HDB flats, particularly at mature estates. Besides the usual playground and fitness corners, we should consider working with NParks, residents and Town Councils to redevelop these pockets for green activities, community gathering points, exercise routes and link services around the area for all ages. Think of each pocket as a mini-Botanic Garden which can be inter-connected through each division and finally linked to park connectors or the Green Belts under the urban planning. More importantly, the social network and programmes are self-run by residents in the neighbourhood. Retirees and volunteers can run regular social programmes to engage the community at this place, look out for other seniors who need care management, share meaningful time together on activities without tapping on resources from the agencies after the master planning and development is put in place. These Wellness Community areas will keep residents active, healthy and bring vibrancy to vacant land areas. 3.45 pm Lastly, remodel the heartland shops. Neighbourhood shops are useful amenities in any community and serve a diverse group of residents. However, the growing presence of online purchases and declining variety of businesses in the neighbourhood, have put in question the relevance of these shops. To better utilise them, the Remaking Heartland Program should be revamped. What is required is not simply remaking of physical infrastructures, but a renewal on business varieties, hybrid presence of shops, digital & physical, supporting our local brands and trades, and innovation launchpads right in our own heartland.”
“This is likely to stay but not all households will have conducive environment that facilitates the activities. As such, some planning on designated areas in different estates will help provide the growing demand for future usage closer to home. We should consider this not solely from a commercial operating angle but bring local SMEs and platform providers to create the facility. Further, this can benefit the vulnerable groups living in shared or rental flats who are unable to afford the space or technology gadgets. Second, provide communal spaces for people with disabilities (PWDs) or special needs to integrate amongst the community. In 2020 COS, I raised the need for intentional efforts to do this. With pervasiveness of digital technology, apps that provide information on venues and services friendly to PWDs can be made available. I also recommended improving their daily assisted living within the public housing through the use of technology assisted devices to ease their burden on the long run. Be it within the public flats or surroundings, familiarity and having the right aids in place are critical for them to live comfortably. Third, augment talent and skilled labour force from the community for maintenance of estates. As estates aged, it is common to have issues of spalling concrete, water seepage, leakages within the flats. While HDB attempts to resolve such matters, there has been a lack of contractors from time to time to solve the issues. This problem is exacerbated by the pandemic. The constraint of workers may persist in future. Given the demand for such maintenance, we should look at how to augment with skilled individuals equipped with skillsets to supervise works or certify them on contract jobs.”
“Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Sir, as a young nation, our housing estates in Singapore are considered relatively new by international standards. When we look around a mature estate like those in Queenstown, Tiong Bahru and Bedok, you will notice that the exterior facades of the flats are well maintained, amenities abound within the community and signs of life around the neighourbood through the day. The oldest HDB estate in Singapore today is about 61 years of age. To upkeep the estates, HDB has implemented many initiatives to renew and refresh each estate from time to time. Key programmes have so far served its designated purposes. But as time passes, an estate’s soul and vibrancy will go beyond the basic infrastructural projects and maintenance. With the shift in demographics, new BTOs injected, fresh needs and immediate concerns resulting from the pandemic, changing lifestyles and business innovations, there is an increasing need to adapt and make our estates more liveable for now and the future. While ground needs change and estates mature with age, the physical condition of estates is just but one aspect that needs to be looked at. The vibrancy and people who live, work and play at these estates become central to the concepts that has to be refreshed. I would like to ask Minister what is MND’s plan to involve more Singaporeans in upgrading and redeveloping our HDB estates to keep them liveable for the decades ahead? I wish to offer my suggestions on how to do this. First, creating co-working and study spaces in neighbourhood estates. With COVID-19, the trend of work from home and home-based learning are on the rise.”
“While extensive measures have been adopted to protect our coastal areas and reduce and flood risks, however, with the best of efforts, we are always vulnerable to the forces of nature. Do we have any contingency measures in place should an incessant heavy downpour coupled with high tide conditions and maximum canal holding capacity coincide? I suggest we increase the vegetation topsoil to serve as absorbent layer for water drainage especially in areas like park connectors along the water banks or planting along the roads.”
“Madam, climate change has resulted in more unpredictable and intense rainfall culminating in more frequent incidences of flash floods around Singapore. Just last November, flash floods occurred in three areas and water levels in drains and canals rose to 90% of their capacity in eight other locations. Beyond flash floods causing destruction and inconveniences, the incessant rainfall had also resulted in the uprooting of trees, posing safety concerns for Singaporeans. Thus, it is pivotal that we have a comprehensive and coordinated understanding on Singapore's level of flood resilience. I would like to ask the Minister what is Singapore's plan in ensuring we have adequate inland flood management system to handle the increasing unpredictable weather? I would like to raise three areas for MSE's consideration. One, improvements in existing drainage systems and buildings in low-lying areas. Many of these flash floods occur in low-lying areas with some in private estates. Unlike the public housing, the private estates do not have a dedicated Town Council to handle and address these municipal issues. Would any support be provided to enhance the infrastructure on drainage system in existing private estates and older buildings? Two, periodic assessments of efficacy of measures to allow for nimble, adaptive changes. Since the BCA Coastal Adaptation Study was concluded in 2019, can Minister provide an update on the measures undertaken in response to this study? From the findings, are there more areas that need to be further reviewed and what would the periodic assessment on the efficacy of the measures entail? Three, introducing contingency measures.”
“Though, it had acknowledged that a complete harmonisation may be too onerous, suggesting something closer to banking regulations where each country's requirements can align with the global rules and allow for greater flexibility in adoption within each of the country. And lastly, encouraging ground-up initiatives and collaboration with the Government. Suggestions were put forth to create an eco-system to adopting a collaborative consultative partnership between citizens, Government and the private sector to address issues pertaining to climate change and the green economy. I would like to ask the Minister, as environmental awareness grows in Singapore with a myriad of ground-up initiatives, how are these initiatives internalised by the respective Government agencies for consideration and potential incorporation with the public sector projects? On this note, I would like to ask for an update on the progress of the HDB Green Towns Programme which was announced at last year's Committee of Supply. Sustainable Mature Housing Estate”
“I have met residents, youths and mid-career individuals who wish to join and they are keen to be part of this green economy. However, this being an emerging area meant there is more ambiguity on the type of jobs available and what these jobs are like. To better facilitate the creation of a more detailed roadmap and career path for those interested, I have raised some of these in a recent Private Member's Motion on climate change. I will just name a few here. One, to provide more variety in the courses at the Institutes of Higher Learning for those who are interested in the field of sustainability as a career. Another area is facilitating early or mid-career moves towards jobs focused on environmental sustainability in partnerships with companies through structured mentorship and work transition programmes. We can also work with industries and public sector to outline the types of future green jobs and constantly align on skills and competencies required for such roles in the emerging sectors. Second, to standardise the accounting standards framework to further grow the green finance. Singapore has already made huge inroads in green finance and is considered the leader in ASEAN. How can we further grow this sector and seize the future opportunities? Locally, having a standardised accounting framework would better enable meaningful interpretation and comparison of emissions as well as allowing for greater transparency of these green investments. In the Green Finance Position Paper 2020 by Eurocham Singapore and Accenture, the paper also concurred on the benefits of having a standardised accounting standards framework for the region in further growing the green finance sector for ASEAN.”