Christopher de Souza
Singapore
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. My supplementary question arises out of our deployment of our Multi-Role Tankers Transport. I think our airmen and soldiers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and MINDEF should be commended. It was a complex high-altitude mission, and it was successful.”
“Much obliged, Sir. My supplementary questions draw from the fact that the situation displays: one, how Singapore has agency; and two, how Singapore can use the situation as a catalyst.”
“It cannot be allowed to be the master. It does not moralise. Thus, as we embrace AI, we must do so with discernment. We should use it to the extent that it facilitates decision-making, but it cannot be allowed to usurp our decision-making. Innovation cannot come at the expense of trespassing on some existing IP rights.”
“In relation to the study on the drug trafficking and the death penalty. In fact, in response to that, I think there is a very good statistic that we should elaborate on in this House and also out there in education that 15 grams of diamorphine feeds 180 drug abuses for one week.”
“The Singapore Land Authority plays an important role in unlocking the value of state land for community use. As a sportsman, I have personally seen with immense joy how underutilised spaces, such as areas under flyovers, can be transformed into safe and vibrant places for sport and recreation, whether for pickleball, futsal, badminton, te…”
“To propel our status as a hub, Singapore will need infrastructure, such as exhibition facilities, to showcase mediation capabilities, breakout rooms, bilateral mediation hearing rooms as well as printers, laptops and screens for settlement agreements to be typed out.”
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Every one of 1,264 lines we hold for Christopher de Souza, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 26.
“The statistics surrounding repeat offenders show that despite our strict laws, those who have served their jail time continue to be placed in an environment where they have made the choice to re-offend. Building support in our community to come alongside former offenders is a national effort. The Yellow Ribbon Project and the song which its namesake emphasises, that the idea of welcoming home those who have been to prison, that while offenders can be released from prison, the key to unlocking them from social stigma lies, first, in their families and loved ones and us as society to welcome them back and give them that chance. Beyond familial support, we can look to education and employment as well. Even as we intensify our preventive drug education through Government agencies, community groups and anti-drug advocates, we must also educate on how to support and include former offenders so that they can move on. This education on support must come alongside promoting drug-free values and lifestyles so as to not unintentionally introduce prejudice and stigma. Instead, we can inculcate drug-free values at the same time that we introduce values, such as compassion and mercy, which give the public a holistic picture of our battle against drugs. That same lens can be taken by employers in giving former offenders a second or third, or even possibly, a fourth chance. Scams – Need for Enforcement and Education Mdm Chair, my third and last cut on scams and the need for prevention and education. 5.00 pm The prevalence of scams and its impact need no reiterating. Billions have been lost in tens of thousands of cases in the past few years. It gives rise to the need for the twin pillars of prevention and education.”
“But the outcome of the decriminalisation ended up allowing young people, especially those under 18, to become cannabis abusers with a sharp increase in usage. The findings have spurred or looked to have spurred Thailand's Justice Minister to call for a classification of cannabis as a narcotic substance until proper regulation can be put into place. Thailand's arguable quick reversal, not more than two years after decriminalisation, shows how rampant the drug abuse problem can become among young people. We must never let this happen in Singapore. I have spoken about this multiple times and I think we should not let an example like this go unnoticed. We have to continually enforce strong laws against drugs and keep up to speed with developments and ensure our legislation is flexible and adaptable. There will also be pro-cannabis groups with commercial interests who want to influence the narrative surrounding recreational cannabis by diminishing youth's perception of its harm and we have to be active in countering such a view. Drugs – Rehabilitation of Former Offenders Mdm Chair, next, on rehabilitation support for former offenders. With the constant increase in drug abusers in Singapore, but repeat and new offenders, it is critical that our enforcement and monitoring of drug usage is matched by rehabilitation support in a double-pronged approach. This is especially so since 51% of new abusers arrested in 2023 were under 30, but also because repeat offenders still form the bulk of drug abusers. For those who are young, they have much potential if given the right environment to rehabilitate and allow them to make choices to walk away from drugs and never return. They need the love and support of their family and friends and the wider community.”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. My first cut is about drugs and deterring recreational cannabis. The statistics in Singapore for abusers of recreational cannabis are highly concerning. It ranks as the second most commonly abused drug for new abusers, with a 17% increase between 2022 and 2023. What is even more concerning is that almost two-thirds of the new abusers are below 30 years of age. Last year, we amended our Misuse of Drugs Act to increase the punishments for possession of selected controlled drugs above certain weight thresholds, which include cannabis, cannabis mixture and cannabis resin. This is a very good step and a necessary one, given the severity of its impact on society and especially our young. Of all drug use disorder cases, approximately 41% is due to cannabis abuse. Even as we fight the battle to help our young people battle their mental health issues, we must take a very strong stance on cannabis and other drugs from entering our borders or being accessible by anyone, but especially young people. Our young people are heavily influenced by social media and the global shift in public attitudes has led to more countries not only legalising medical use but also the recreational use of cannabis. Here, I would like to pause and use as an example the case of Thailand. It is an example which I was quite alarmed at a few years ago when I visited Thailand with my family. There were pop-up shops of cannabis being sold to general tourists. You could smell the whiff of cannabis in the air. I was genuinely very concerned. You fast forward a year or two, there seems to have been a U-turn. So, let me share with the House that, in particular, Thailand decriminalised the cannabis plant in June 2022 with the purpose of supporting medical use and research purposes.”
“I thank Ms Lim for agreeing that ageism is not unassailable.”
“I think "accusation" is a very strong word. I am not accusing the hon Member. I am summarising what I think her point is and her point is really that there is this stark, prickly, difficult and possibly unassailable issue of ageism. I agree that it is a difficult issue. I agree that it is an issue on the ground. I do not agree that it is unassailable. And the formula for that, the remedy or the solution for that is what the MPs do on the ground to bridge that gap, to translate fiscal policies and all that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had said in his Budget 2024 speech into real-life examples of how this has worked and impacted families. So, I make no accusations. I seek to re-orientate the House into how the Government is vested with this issue and has put in place all the initiatives to try to overcome it. But the winning formula really is, as backbenchers, our calling and our vocation, to bridge that gap. And I genuinely believe that.”
“I thank the hon Member for giving me this chance to reply. I did not hear the hon Member talk about all the different measures that we have in place to support the seniors which I went through. The Member may have alluded to the upskilling which I alluded to. I think what is important is to not dichotomise, not say, "Look, this is water and oil and what we are going to do at the policy level doesn't actually trickle down to the low level." It does. And the reason why I gave an example is to show that we are meant to be the bridges. If we see that there is ageism, as I have seen and as I have tried humbly, to the best of my ability, to bridge, then we should. That is my point. Not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. These are a slew of measures that work in concert with each other – the fiscal measures as well as what we do on the ground for residents to job match and to ensure that they get as close to a job as they want, not only for their own sake but for the sake of their residents. So, I do not think I misread or misheard Ms Lim's speech. I think it was largely based on ageism and my humble response to that is, if you look at all the fiscal measures, and the grind and the work of the MPs on the ground, I think we do have a chance of a winning formula for our seniors.”
“" That was a very moving sharing with the family. So, I could not agree more with Ms Sylvia Lim's point that we cannot forget our seniors. I agree wholeheartedly with that. But where I diverge humbly and respectfully is that we are doing that. We are pushing out policies, we are pushing out initiatives and we are pushing out a lot of fiscal provision. The bridge is us and it is for us to accomplish that vocation to the best of our ability. With that, Sir, I support the Budget. [Applause.]”
“I said, "Mr Subramaniam, why would you like to get a security guard licence?" He said, "Because I will be able to upskill, earn more money for my family. I have a wife, and I have one son, Ramasamy. We live in our one-room one-hall flat in Ghim Moh", an area in the ward that I am responsible for. So, I said, "Yes, we will do our best to get you a security licence." He did. We have seen Ramasamy grow up. He went from Henry Park Primary School to Fairfield Methodist Primary School. He did well enough to get into ITE. He got a 4.0 out of 4.0 GPA in ITE. He went on to Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and he did one semester in Glasgow, and he is doing very, very well. And along the way, when we meet, whether at market visits, home visits or when he comes in for Meet-the-People sessions and we have a chat, and the relationship is now a friendship. I asked Mr Subramaniam, "What did you do with your upskilling and reskilling? He said, "Mr de Souza, I got a job in Changi Airport." So, I said, "Changi Airport? You live in Ghim Moh. How long does it take for you to get to Changi Airport?" He said, "An hour, an hour and 20 minutes." And I said, "And an hour and 20 minutes back." So, he said, "Yes." I said, "Why?" He said, "Because at Changi Airport, the pay is better, and I want the best for of my son." So, when we talk about wanting to provide for our seniors, I agree that policies and statistics can be quite clinical and impersonal. But that is what we are called to do in this House; to make the policies and the statistics and change the lives of our residents. That is our vocation. That is our calling. And when Ramasamy came in with his certificate from SIT, the family said and shared with me, "Now, I think it is time for us to buy our flat.”
“It is to empower active ageing. Or a MediSave bonus of up to $300 for all adult Singaporeans born in 1974 to 2003. Why? For the assurance for healthcare. We will increase quarterly payments from the Silver Support Scheme by 20% and raise qualifying household income thresholds to $2,300. Why? To support seniors in their retirement needs. And the list goes on. But specifically, if I have not misunderstood hon Member's speech, is the aspect of re-employment and jobs. And here, I would also like to invite the Member to take a look at what the Government is doing to have mid-career reskilling. We are providing $4,000 in SkillsFuture credits for mid-career top-ups in May 2024, which can be used for selected industry-oriented training courses with better employability outcomes, and up to $3,000 monthly SkillsFuture mid-career training allowance for up to 24 months for selected full-time courses. But I have learnt, over the years, in this Chamber, that statistics do not necessarily make the point as well as stories do. So, let me share with you that while we have all these measures in place and there is a lot of deliberation, a lot of the need to balance competing interests and pushing out new policies, funding them, ensuring the revenue is there for them. But at the end of the day, as MPs and Members of this House, at least, the elected ones, have a duty to ensure that these policies and measures meet their intended need on the ground. Let me share with you a story which, I think, meets the concerns of what Ms Sylvia Lim raised. This is a story of a resident, Mr Subramaniam, whom I have known for a number of years. He is now 65 years old. Some years ago, we met and he shared with me that he is looking to upskill himself and he wants to get a security guard licence.”
“This is where countries adopt their own unique regulations of AI, resulting in a patchwork, often quite irrational, of global regulations and heavy compliance burdens for companies looking to provide AI products and services across borders. This is why international corporation to build regulatory into operability is important. Singapore points double down on these efforts while developing our governance approach in a risk-based and pragmatic way. We should also study how our international counterparts address the impact of AI on jobs, societies and the social compact, and act decisively so that we maximise the benefits of AI for Singapore. Mr Speaker, it has been over a year since ChatGPT launched into the forefront of the world's consciousness. The GenAI technology behind ChatGPT showcased exactly the benefit and risk dichotomy AI technologies present to our societies and economies. With Singapore's pragmatic and forward-thinking approach, let us plant the seeds and shape the future of trustworthy AI today. That was meant to have been the concluding remarks of my speech. But I would like to also make some comments on the hon Member Ms Sylvia Lim's speech, a couple of speeches before me. As I understand, Ms Sylvia Lim's position is that we should not disenfranchise our senior workers. I could not agree more. If one were to study the Budget speech delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, there are a number of key initiatives. In fact, a whole raft of measures that are targeted to assist our seniors to not only age actively, but also to reskill, upskill and re-enter the workforce. So, I enjoin the hon Member Ms Sylvia Lim to have a care and look at what we are doing, the $3.5 billion for Age Well SG. And what is the purpose behind this?”
“The guide also provides real-life examples of how companies have empowered their employees through job redesign and training. Since 2022, Singapore has also launched initiatives, such as AI Verify and AI Governance Testing framework and toolkit, one of the world's first, and in January 2024, a new modelled AI governance framework for GenAI systems. Further, just this month, Singapore led the release of the ASEAN guide on AI governance and ethics. These, which are just the tip of the iceberg, showcase the thought leadership that Singapore wields regionally and, I might say, globally in the space. I would like to take a moment to recognise all the hard work that our public officers and political office holders have put in to bring Singapore to where we are today in such a dynamic and fast-changing environment. Mr Speaker, Sir, we are certainly not the only country to have developed a national approach towards AI governance. Over 60 nations around the world have some form of regulation. The United States (US) has a blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights for responsible design and use of AI. In the European Union (EU), the AI Act, which recently received political endorsement, adopts a risk-based approach to regulating AI applications and rules surrounding transparency. China has adopted outcomes-based regulations, including interim measures for the management of GenAI services and the Internet information service algorithmic recommendation management provisions. Singapore's approach has never been to take another country's approach and apply it wholesale. Instead, we watch global developments closely and tailor them to our needs while introducing fit for Singapore measures. But what we also need to watch out for is the risk of international fragmentation.”
“Mr Speaker, as mentioned, we are talking about ANI today. ANI systems have limits beyond which human intervention is required. In fact, the more unprecedented and complex the situation, the better humans are at managing it, because we have a sense of judgement, empathy and values that no AI system can foreseeably replace. Mr Speaker, there is another dimension when talking about AI and jobs. With the help of AI, we can feed datasets into deep learning models to look upstream and understand the root causes of various societal issues. Not only should we aim to figure out how to support those who are vulnerable in our society, especially those vulnerable to the coming changes, we should also try to ensure that they do not reach that point of vulnerability in the first place. Sir, Singapore has not been standing still on these developments. On the contrary, we have been moving very thoughtfully and proactively in the realm of AI governance. For instance, in 2019, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) first realised the modelled AI governance framework. This was then refreshed in 2020. The model framework provided organisations with practical guidance on how to deploy AI in a trustworthy and responsible manner, and as the first of its kind globally, positioned Singapore well in the global discourse on AI governance. In 2020, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), PDPC and the Lee Kuan Yew's Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) launched a guide to job redesign in the age of AI. The guide adopts an industry-agnostic and human-centric approach to show how existing job roles can be redesigned to harness the potential of AI so that AI augments, rather than replaces, jobs.”
“I have spent some time delving into the technicalities because I believe it is important to bear this in mind when we talk about AI affecting our social compact. Mr Speaker, many hon Members have, in past Sittings, alluded to the multitude of benefits and dangers that AI brings. I do not wish to rehash what had already been said. Instead, I believe we must be careful on how we tread this line in encouraging AI innovation and adoption while continuing to support our people and their livelihoods. One concern is how the AI age will affect jobs. Alarmist headlines emphasised the loss of jobs to AI, but actually, the key to making AI-enabled jobs rather than replace jobs is to allow people to find their passion with new responsibilities that require uniquely human abilities. With every industrial revolution, the economy changes and so do jobs where what is required of humans also change. The current fourth Industrial Revolution is no different. It was estimated that in the United Kingdom (UK), over 20 years, seven million existing jobs could be affected by AI. But very critically, 7.2 million jobs could be created. So, that, in fact, is a net gain in jobs. But what we must ensure as a Government is that no one slips through the cracks, to ensure that every Singaporean, as we become an AI-enabled society, will have that opportunity to learn and grow, and none of us need fear being replaced. We must also consider that not everyone can make such transition at the same time and at the same pace. But, through the right assurances and infrastructure, we must help every Singaporean realise their core and unique human skills and show them how these skillsets remain relevant and even while their job scopes encompass more decision-making and creative responsibilities.”
“Thank you for allowing me to join this Budget debate. Today, we are at the cusp of a transformation that ranks among the most profound of them all, the AI transformation. Many have spoken on this, so I rise to speak on two specific aspects. First, how this transformation affects our social compact, and second, how Singapore has and should continue to approach the governance of AI. To truly understand the societal implications of AI, we need to, first, understand what we are dealing with. While there are many kinds of AI systems out there, most contemporaneous AI systems are based on machine learning (ML). ML systems are trained on data to produce insights and predictions, and they have become more prevalent in the early to mid-2010s. In the late-2010s, deep learning, a subset of ML, grew in prominence. This utilises neuronetworks, which comprise layers of nodes similar to a human brain that process inputs and produce outputs. These systems are also able to adjust their weights, thus increasing the model's accuracy over time. Most recently, the technology that has taken the world by storm is, of course, generative AI (genAI). GenAI utilises deep learning, but the difference is that through new techniques and mechanisms, they can be trained on large sets of unstructured data. The result is foundational models, that is, models capable of producing output for a wide range of tasks without having to be specifically trained for it. Yet, notwithstanding the capabilities of AI today, we must remember that we are talking about artificial narrow intelligence (ANI), which is able to only do specific tasks well, rather than artificial general intelligence (AGI), which connotes AI that is able to perform a wide range of tasks that a human can normally do.”
“If you are not at the table, you are on the menu. So, when you get invited to these organisations, they speak well of Singapore, they speak well of the person who has been invited. The door is ajar, Singapore's interests can be presented by way of osmosis and the whole ecosystem, in the boardroom or the committee room, you get a sense of each continent's political difficulties and economic difficulties. So, why say no? We are not pandering to the requests of international organisations. The fact that people who I have mentioned – Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Senior Minister Teo, other esteemed Cabinet Ministers and Senior Minister Tharman – continue to be sought after, after years in Government, speaks well that they are relevant. But they want not just the official line. If there is room to share from their own experience and their own wealth of knowledge, what they have been through, how they think things can pan out, not just for Singapore, but for the world and for the region, why veto that? Why shut that out? How can that be construed as us pandering to international organisations when it is a feather in the cap to actually be invited in the first place? And then set down rules as to what can or cannot be done, so that the international organisations know the rules of engagement and so do we, both on His Excellency's Head of State side and on Cabinet side. So, I turned it on its head and say we are not pandering. We should be honoured and humbled, and accept, as far as possible, subject to national interests.”
“Mr Tharman is now the Head of State. And therefore, we have to have a structure, predictability, a framework in order to resolve what could be internationally prickly situations. And if you look at the explanatory statement, it states very clearly under Article 22C what the Cabinet can advise the President to do. Three conditions must be met before the President may do so. First, the President must be disabled by article 19A(1) from performing the function of the office. Second, the Cabinet must advise the President that it is in the national interest for the President to accept and hold the office. Third, the President acting in his discretion must concur with the Cabinet's advice. In deciding whether to give his concurrence, the President is not subject to a time limit. And the President must relinquish the office if so advised by the Cabinet. So, Mr Tharman has now been elevated to Head of State. And this provides, I think, both His Excellency and the regulators in the form of the Cabinet to have a very predictable framework to deal with these issues. And let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are issues that are facing the globe which our Ministers and also the President have unique, deep insights to contribute towards. So, do we put a roadblock or do we find a workable solution? And in the Singapore way, we find a workable solution.”
“I am afraid the Member is incorrect on two counts. The first is that the private bodies see the elevation of Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the President, as Head of State, to be an advantage to their organisations. But as I understood it, they did not want him to be just stating what the Government's position on things would be. They wanted his personal view. And this was never contemplated in the Constitution, because the Constitution always had official capacity. So, Cabinet looked at this. They were upfront about it. They did not sneak it under the carpet and said, bygones be bygones. Just carry on with official capacity and let the President say what he wants to say in private capacity. No, that would be wrong, even if nobody found out. The Attorney-General said, "Look, based on the tools, the framework and the mechanics of the Constitution, this may not – this may run into a little bit of trouble. So, why do we not allow memberships via private capacities, but fetter them?" Fetter them by Cabinet, and that is why we have Article 22C. So, it was out of an abundance of caution that we are doing what we are doing today. That puts it in perspective.”
“Assoc Prof Jamus Lim ended off with really what was a political point, and what was the political point of today's debate among the Opposition Members of Parliament, in my humble view – which was a political point, "Thank goodness that we have Members in this House, that if we had enough Members, we could railroad and prevent this amendment from going through if we had the one-third. But we do not." I would like to take that conclusion and flip it on its head. I am humbly proud, that I am part of the two-thirds that pushes through constitutional legislations that are robustly in favour of our national interests. [Applause.]”
“" And that presented a novel situation, which, in good conscience, the Attorney-General flagged out, and which we are ironing out today. So, I hope that puts in perspective the good faith nature of what we are doing today. There is no surreptitious, outflanking manoeuvre. It is honest and transparent Parliamentary business that we are passing today. And if, indeed, there are any disagreements, which I think Mr Leong, or maybe another Member alluded to, that is exactly why we have Article 22 to Article 22Q, which places in conditions what the President can do and cannot do. And the last limb, if I am not mistaken, if the Cabinet is of the view that the President does not carry on these duties, he must relinquish them. It is not a "may", if I read it correctly. It is a "must". And let us hope that never comes to it. So, we are not in a situation of a binary choice where we have to say, "Look, no memberships because we do not want our President being overly distracted by international duties" or "we want a largely domestic President to be on the ground". In the President, in who is elected, we can actually have both, and what a fillip advantage that would be for Singapore. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim then speaks about retroactivity, and I think when I listened very carefully, the hon Member talked about some element of retrospectivity and raised Article 11. I do not have Article 11 with me here now, but Article 11 actually talks about criminal offences. And therefore, it is not, strictly speaking, relevant to what we are debating today. So, what we are doing today is not incoherent with the Constitution.”
“I think Members of this House would know that former Senior Minister Tharman, now President Tharman, packs a lot in, in 24 hours of his day. I do not see there to be binary duties between what Mr Dennis Tan, or as I understood Mr Dennis Tan to say, is a domestic role and more of an international role. The President is our top diplomat. He represents the state, and therefore, he has both to fulfil to the maximum of his ability and his or her talent the obligations at the international stage in addition to the domestic stage, which are not incompatible. Mr Dennis Tan then talks about what if there is a crisis and where should the President's attention be? But if you look at some of the institutions that the President is now party to, they include the Independent Panel on Financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. So, if indeed we are talking about a crisis or a pandemic, ought it not be to Singapore's fillip, to Singapore's advantage, to Singapore's utility, that we have a person there, a reputable person, stating his own personal views, subject, of course, to the constraints and fetters offered by Cabinet, if any? Let me move on to Mr Leong Mun Wai. Mr Leong says there is a violation in what we are doing today. There is no violation. We could have easily carried on the status quo of having the President carry out duties in his official capacity. But as I understand it and as I understand Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's speech, it was the organisations who said, "Yes, you have brought forth an even greater ballast by your elevation to Head of State, and brings with the credibility to the organisation, but actually what we really want are your personal views, so you are not fettered by what the government of the day thinks.”
“And that is why voting in favour of this constitutional amendment is a vote in favour of Singapore. We are talking about the highest office of the land. I listened carefully at the Opposition Members' speeches and had to say to myself, "I must respond to some of their arguments". So, let me start off with Mr Gerald Giam. Mr Gerald Giam has four points, or arguments rather, the hon Member uses some – and here, I speak through you, Mr Speaker, Sir – the hon Member has some reservations about some members of boards and committees who may not be in full integrity of the role they occupy on the board, given their other occupations. Also, Mr Giam's view is that Mr Tharman should be focused predominantly on inclusivity, arts and sports, and provide undivided attention to some of the declared objectives while he was on campaign. But there is no divided attention. Is arts, sports and inclusivity not also a global goal? Ought Singapore not be seen at boards and international meetings and conferences, promoting this global ideal? Where is the undivided attention? If anything, there is economies of scale of attention to put forward this value. Mr Giam also says, "The Cabinet can say what he cannot say". But it does not say that the Cabinet has to dictate what he has to say beyond what he cannot and therefore, there is free play, and we all know President Tharman, or most of us would know President Tharman as a man of his own thinking and deep integrity to his values. So, I do not agree with the positions taken by my hon fellow Member Mr Gerald Giam. Mr Dennis Tan goes on to talk about how no other Head of State acts like this and there are only 24 hours in a day.”
“At the same hotel we were staying at were Senior Minister Teo's fellow industry advisory committee members from TotalEnergies. I met them socially at breakfast and spoke with them. The calibre of Senior Minister Teo's counterparts was exceptional. That is my own honest, personal and real-life experience. Captains of global industries, leaders in science and global experts in their fields. That Senior Minister Teo was invited to be among such peers is both a credit to Singapore and to the Senior Minister. I was left in no doubt, I repeat, I was left in no doubt that memberships at these high-level international bodies put Singapore on the map and advances our interests. But equally important, it advances global interests and our common humanity. Is it any coincidence that Senior Minister Teo is also our Minister-in-charge of climate change? His perspectives add value to the global debate. While Senior Minister was at the TotalEnergies meetings, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) kept me occupied with bilateral meetings at the French Senate. No time was wasted, and no resources were wasted; back-to-back meetings trying to advance Singapore's interests and global interests. Now, returning to the President. Like Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who was invited to international boards, or Senior Minister Teo, if our President is also held in such high esteem and his views are sought to advance a better world, why say no? Why say no? It is a feather in the cap for Singapore, and what more Singapore gets a seat at the table. And many a time, global goals – eradication of poverty, protection of water supplies and mitigating climate change – are in concert with, in other words, are consistent with our own national priorities. There is little divergence.”
“And, of course, President Tharman, when he was Senior Minister, took on several roles, including being a member of the WEF Board of Trustees, Co-chair of the GCEW and the G20 High Level Independent Panel on Financing the Global Commons for pandemic preparedness and response. Sixth, Mr Speaker, all these roles our Ministers have taken on have been appointments that have advanced Singapore's national interest and allowed our Cabinet to have a broader perspective, which they can utilise in governing Singapore. Seventh, in the same way, to extend this role to our President, will serve Singapore well internationally and allow for greater global cooperation between us and the world. We can continue to build and strengthen relationships and significantly forged new ones, so that Singapore will always have a seat at the international table. My ultimate point, before I go on to discuss the speeches before me, is one that comes from personal experience and deep personal belief. Perhaps I can give a personal account to drive home my point as to why international memberships are good for Singapore. Just late last year, in 2022, I travelled with Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean on a Government trip to Egypt, and then to Paris, France. In Egypt, our objective was to get a sense of the security situation in North Africa, the region, southern Europe and the Middle East, and how movements there would impact Singapore. We took a flight from Cairo to Paris. Our mission in Paris was to get a good sense of the Russia-Ukraine war, whether there was an end in sight – all in Singapore's interests. On the third day of our Paris leg, Senior Minister Teo attended the meetings of the TotalEnergies International Advisory Committee.”
“Furthermore, even after the acceptance of such a role, the President is limited against saying or doing anything in that role if the Cabinet so advises, and must relinquish the role if so advised by the Cabinet. This means that even as the President takes on a role, the Cabinet will continually consider if this role aids our national interests and how it helps Singapore and Singaporeans. Fourth, this Bill is built on the backbone of our strong and established relationships with partners from around the world, as we seek to advance Singapore's national interests on the global stage and to gain international and commercial perspectives on issues that all countries face today. Being a part of such international groups and committees is essential as we look to bring Singapore forward. Not only does it put Singapore on the map and allows us to contribute to issues beyond our borders, but we can gain insights into the considerations of other leaders in their respective countries and fields. The commercial insight we gain helps us to keep abreast with how policies are affecting the economy and vice versa. By understanding the ramifications in both the public and the private spheres, we are able to chart a better way forward for Singapore. Fifth, over the years, our Cabinet has been invited to be a part of many international groups. Mr Lee Kuan Yew, when he was Minister Mentor, took on such positions. He was a special advisor to Citigroup Inc. back in 2006, as well as being a part of the JP Morgan Chase International Council.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. I have listened to the speeches of the Opposition Members of Parliament. They are entitled to their views, but I take a very divergent view. In my view, the amendments are fundamentally about Singapore's voice in the international arena and how we keep our little red dot shining brightly. Why oppose that? Why oppose something that should be done in Singapore's interests? Sir, I give seven reasons why I support this amendment. These reasons also track broadly why I disagree with the Opposition's broad points. And having listened to the Opposition's aversions towards the amendments, I will end off giving my own personal view on the subject at hand from personal experience. The first point is this: we are a small country, yet we have done well. We are privileged to have gained respect around the globe for what we have built and for the people we have become. It is broadly on that basis that members of our Cabinet have been invited to participate in various international organisations and contribute generally globally. Second, our Ministers have accepted these international roles to extend Singapore's standing abroad, so long as it is aligned with our national interests. The third point, today, we are debating whether to extend this practice to the President as well. The proposed Article 22Q allows the President to accept and hold an office in a foreign or international organisation in his private capacity. This, of course, is limited by Article 19A(1), meaning that he cannot actively engage in any commercial enterprise. The President can only accept such a role if the Cabinet advises him that it is for the national interests and he himself concurs.”
“I have seen bank statements where this happens between 2.00 am and 8.00 am, multiple withdrawals under the limit. And then, when they wake up, the poor residents are $70,000 poorer. This should raise alarm bells and in my view, prompt the bank to halt the transactions altogether until further verification is obtained, or at least contact the customer to ensure that these are legitimate withdrawals. We have also to consider the new safeguards we should put in place. For example, e-wallets make transactions far quicker, but do they have the same safeguards in place? It is time that we consider what trade-offs we make between advancing "frictionless" transactions on the one hand and putting in place enough safeguards to protect our people. We must look at how we can mitigate the effect of the scam. The Anti-Scam Command has taken the commendable lead in this in freezing 16,700 bank accounts just last year and recovering over $146 million. But that is out of 31,728 scams just in 2022 and over $660 million were reported to have been stolen. In addition, I humbly think we also need to consider how we should put in place, better support and compensation for those who lose their life savings. For many of the elderly who are scammed, the loss is often at least six figures, which is close to their entire retirement savings. Often, the compensation offered by the bank is insufficient for them to retire on. That would leave many of our seniors having to find more work. That may not be ideal at all, if the couple is already in retirement. I really believe this is a group of people we must stand alongside. Sir, with these two priorities in mind in the field of: one, education and; separately, two, protecting vulnerable groups from scammers, I stand in strong support of the Motion.”
“Prevention involves both building an infrastructure of laws and harnessing technology to detect and dismantle criminal organisations as well as preparing our people, both young and old, to deal with this threat. The scale of this threat cannot be under-estimated. The variety of scams – from investment scams to e-commerce scams – all focus on one thing: targeting a specific vulnerability of a targeted group. The scammers are highly sophisticated in directing different scams to different age groups and taking advantage of cognitive biases to psychologically manipulate people into giving more details and transferring larger amounts of money. What accentuates this challenge is the transnational nature of the issue: with 90% of the scams from overseas and how technologically savvy the scammers are in using various digital platforms to carry out the scams. So, to tackle this, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) need to work with the Singaporean public, the banks and our partners from other countries. In particular, I believe we have to double down and raise a proper bulwark with our banking security systems. Instead of just saying what the problem is, I humbly suggest some solutions. These include placing limits on transactions, giving phone calls to owners of bank accounts to ensure that they do want to proceed on a transaction, spotting suspicious patterns in consecutive transactions and a kill switch which can be activated by the bank if it detects multiple and suspicious outflows of monies from citizens' accounts. In the constituency I serve and when I meet with residents, I have seen physically, bank statements of residents with multiple outflows of monies, just under the transaction limit each time.”
“Of course, reducing class sizes must mean we need more teachers and I believe it will be a step in the right direction. Our teachers choose their profession because of the value they see in raising students to their full potential and derive much intrinsic joy from it. But the tendency for teachers to be overworked and burnt out is known, especially in the past few years where they have had to cope with many, many changes. Our teachers go far beyond just the academics, as they often counsel students and help those struggling with mental health. By taking on more teachers and reducing class sizes, we can build a better environment, both for students and teachers. That is, at least, in my humble view. In right-sizing our syllabus and having an appropriate class size, we put in place the foundational stepping stones to inculcate in our young, the love of learning. Perhaps, in tweaking our syllabus, that may make way to craft more opportunities for students to visit museums and libraries and have more moments to play, which is essential for creativity. Sir, I move onto my second point. Mdm President encouraged us to move ahead together, even in the face of many changes the world presents us now. Sir, this means caring for the vulnerable. A recent topical concern is protecting our vulnerable citizens from scams. Therefore, Sir, the other issue that deeply concerns me, as we progress as a nation, is the increasing prevalence of scams. Many of the residents I serve in the constituency, have come to me at the Meet-the-People Session (MPS) or shared with me during home visits, their distressing stories about how they have lost tens of thousands, if not, hundreds of thousands of dollars to scammers.”
“An educational arms race has incentivised a tuition culture. And if we do not stop the race now, our students are going to end up hitting a brick wall. We must avoid that. We must inject the joy of learning, instead of reliance on tuition to play catch-up on the syllabus. An educational arms race has built-in a tuition culture, where students are caught between doing school homework and tuition homework such that they are possibly, busier on weekends than they are on weekdays. Secondly, Sir, I would suggest reducing class sizes from 40 to less than 30. MOE's addendum to the President's Address, focuses on being able to better customise teaching and learning for students of differing abilities, to bring out the best in each child. I believe one way this can be accomplished, is to have a smaller class size to allow teachers to have more time with each student. This can lead to more individualised attention, a greater capacity to monitor each student's physical, mental and emotional well-being, and the ability to tailor to different learning speeds and to cater to different learning styles. Instead of students having to go for tuition, smaller classes can help better pacing, so each student can learn and keep abreast of the subject within class time itself. This can also allow students to have opportunities to speak out and participate more, which would be especially helpful for students who learn as they verbalise. Another focus is helping students with special educational needs in mainstream schools. By reducing class sizes, teachers will have more capacity to assist with the educational experience of these students and to allow the space for interactions between all the students in the class under the teacher's supervision.”
“Sir, as we move into the Second Session of Singapore's 14th Parliament, I would like to thank Mdm President for charting out the course ahead as we transition into a different world post-pandemic. Mdm President spoke of the need for our unity and to strengthen our social fabric through emphasis on our core values of fairness, inclusivity, mutual support and giving back to society. One avenue in which we can accomplish this is through expanding opportunities throughout life for all, regardless of individual backgrounds and circumstances. I believe this starts with education. Mdm President spoke of providing every child with a good education but not wanting to increase the stresses in an "educational arms race". I wholeheartedly agree with this. Earlier this year, during the Budget Debate 2023, I spoke on right-sizing our syllabus and increasing affiliations between schools. Today, I would like to elaborate more on that, for I feel it is in-sync with what Mdm President charted out last Monday. On education, firstly, right-sizing our syllabus involves asking ourselves how do we truly want to prepare our young people for a different world they are growing up in. The way our world has changed and keeps changing and – with the influx of knowledge and technology and AI – we cannot focus on getting the best test scores or merely having the most knowledge. Increasing affiliations between a primary and secondary school can lift the burden of thinking about which school to go on to after the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). We should not go down the route of an educational arms race. One key way to stop this is to reduce the syllabus. I am not saying it is the only way, but making the syllabus less voluminous will reduce the reliance on tuition to play catch-up.”
“I think we have to carefully monitor that, because one in four drug abusers locally is under 30 years of age and that includes more than 50% of new abusers. Therefore, the role of rehabilitation in integrating those who have fallen afoul of our drug laws back into society, by giving them second chances, is crucial. This is done through programmes for the public or education institutions to interact with former offenders and increasing their employability. At the end of the day, a former drug abuser has to not only leave a physical prison but break out of a social prison in order to reintegrate. Lowering these invisible bars of prejudice and suspicion and providing them opportunities to be mentored will allow young drug abusers to transform and overcome their rough start. Mr Speaker, this amendment Bill equips our legislation well with the necessary toughness yet flexibility to deal with NPS. It provides for future flexibility to continue to evolve quickly to changes in the illicit NPS market. For all these reasons, I support the Bill.”
“Finally, in 2021, we had listed another 13 NPS and a further 13 more in 2022 as controlled drugs, in addition to the 12 generic groups. So, we have continued to look at our statutory provisions and considered how we may best strengthen them to protect against any tolerance of NPS. The amendment Bill, then, is a welcome addition and I applaud MHA and CNB for their work. With Part 2 specifically listing out offences relating to NPS, we are able to target the trafficking, manufacturing and importing of NPS. Importantly, this includes offences of exposing a child to NPS or permitting a young person to consume NPS. I also support the change in the Fifth Schedule. By listing what substances are excluded from the definition of an NPS, it creates a much broader ambit since now any substance not listed within the Fifth Schedule can be captured. This squarely deals with the proliferation of NPS variants such that MDA need not be constantly updated, which would be too lengthy a process and ill-equipped to handle the fast-paced nature of the NPS market. In relation to that, clause 32 of the amendment Bill seeking to enhance the Minister's ability to amend the Schedule under section 59, will reflect this pre-emptive regime we are putting in place to tackle NPS. Mr Speaker, even as we debate this amendment to strengthen our laws against NPS, I strongly believe our other pillar of rehabilitation in our policy against drugs is equally important. We must recognise that NPS is a growing market and today's amendment Bill reflects that. But we should also place keen emphasis on rehabilitation so that we build a stronger social compact of individuals who have no desire for any sort of substance. Earlier, I mentioned the trend of NPS being particularly attractive to the younger generation.”
“In particular, the largest quantities of synthetic NPS seized is ketamine, with a lot of the seizures happening in East and Southeast Asia, in countries like Malaysia, Thailand and China. While the market for ketamine for non-medical use seems to have decreased in China, there has been a trend of expansion of the ketamine market since 2015 in the rest of Southeast Asia. Plant-based NPS, like kratom and khat, have also been proliferating with more countries reporting seizure. The largest seizures for kratom, has been in Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. These are but some of the most seized NPS, but there are many more also used and likely on the rise. Indonesia has seen a sharp increase in seizures of domestically manufactured synthetic cannabinoids and what is known as "gorilla tobacco". The global and regional situation is reflected in Singapore, where NPS are the third most commonly abused drug and there is a sharp increase in seizures of synthetic cannabinoids over the last five years. This prevalence is highly concerning, especially so, because the global trend is that NPS use is about 2.2% higher among school populations than the general population. In addition, NPS cause just as much harm as other drugs, with physical and psychological reactions, such as paranoia, seizures, hallucinations and even death. Mr Speaker, I, therefore, strongly support the new regime that has been proposed to tackle NPS. It continues the Ministry of Home Affairs' and CNB's long-standing efforts to combat the rise of NPS. In 2010, we first listed three NPS under MDA. In 2013, we introduced a more generic listing approach, given the chemical similarity between different NPS.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill seeking to amend the MDA. Despite the challenges with taking such a strong stance on drugs, I have always held to my strong conviction that this is the best way to protect Singapore and protect families. I have spoken before, of our continuing need to review our MDA to tackle new and emerging threats, particularly NPS because of how fast such substances evolve and arrive on our shores. So, I am greatly heartened to see the Ministry grabbing the bull by its horns and pre-emptively creating this new regime and statutory framework to regulate psychoactive substances. The threat that NPS pose cannot be underestimated – and I speak not just about the situation in Singapore, but globally, because drugs are a transnational issue that we must collectively combat. The number of NPS internationally far exceeds the number of controlled psychoactive substances by almost three times. That is because a simple modification to the chemical structure can result in a new variant. In the 2022 report by UNODC, it was recorded that there were 1,150 identified NPS across 134 countries, with 50 new ones being recorded since the year before. The report detailed the global increase in countries reporting seizures of synthetic NPS, indicating a far greater geographical spread of trafficking. In 2009 to 2010, only 30 countries were reporting seizures of synthetic NPS. By 2019 to 2020, that number had increased to 57 countries – a jump from 18% of countries reporting, to 41% of countries reporting. Not only do NPS evolve rapidly, Asia accounts for a large percentage of the NPS being trafficked.”
“Sir, as we seek to future-proof our economy and build digital infrastructure to be the bedrock of a secure and resilient digital economy, we must journey alongside seniors in the digitalisation process to ensure that the process is safe and secure for each individual especially with the advent of fake news and the prevalence of online scams we need to protect the most vulnerable population against a blind venture into the digital unknown. In the process of allowing seniors to go digital, may I ask if the SG Digital Office and IMDA will continue to connect at a human level to ease and smoothen the digital transformation for our seniors. Assistance Needed for Digitalisation Sir, as our city state transitions to adapt to the fast-evolving digital space, we must build a robust digital infrastructure that incorporates every facet of society and ensure that no one gets left behind. The initiative by the SG Digital Office to allow hawkers to go digital is an important aspect of this. Would MCI and IMDA consider how this can apply to a larger number of shops and small businesses in the heartlands? The process must be paced to allow SMEs to understand how the transition will operate within the context of their business. Assisting SMEs and heartland operators in this regard is key. Digital for Life”
“Singapore has about 730 square kilometres of land, and that scarcity has always pushed us to innovate and stretch our land options. We have done very well to reclaim land and build upwards and downwards to maximise use of our land. One other solution is to reuse state properties by converting underutilised plots of land into community spaces. Additionally, many existing plots of land have been converted into areas for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats. More such spaces are necessary in our dense city to create spaces for people to exercise, view nature and spend time with family and friends. Given the limited land resources in Singapore, and considering our desire to preserve as much of our natural greenery as possible, how has MinLaw continued to seek out state properties that may be repurposed and rejuvenated for the community? Rejuvenating State Properties and Lands”
“Madam, in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, made all the more so because of the pandemic and the disruption across industries, the legal industry has seen unprecedented change. With the rise of Zoom and some work-from-home days, different skillsets and mindsets are required to adapt to new routines and norms. Cloud-based legal technology tools can be relied upon for document storage and communication. In addition, as more and more technology arise to assist the legal profession, how is MinLaw ensuring that the human element continues to be relevant? Such a partnership between legal manpower and technology will contribute to Singapore's post-pandemic economic growth. In-house Counsels and Paralegals”
“Thank you, Madam. I thank Minister of State Sun for the response and for clarifying that there is a "kill switch" option on the part of the consumer. May I humbly propose that the "kill switch" option or power, also be bestowed on the banks? Because, in the example that Minister of State Sun provided, which is consistent with the example that was given to me by the residents who spoke with me, was that: from one account, it goes to six accounts, it goes to 36 accounts and carries on. 5.30 pm So, if that algorithm or pattern is recognised by the bank internally, then my humble question is, ought not the bank then be given the power to "kill switch" the transmission of monies from accounts to accounts, without the incumbency being on the consumer, on the customer, but the bank itself. Could that be considered?”
“Yes, Madam. Third point is technology. I thank Minister Mrs Josephine Teo for her explanation on how we are using drones and unmanned surveillance equipment. My humble suggestion is that that does not substitute the need for good human ground judgement, in order to know how to prevent crime and also disperse crowds. I am speaking up very much in favour of the retention of best-in-class, world-class officers on the ground to do their job, and not an over-reliance on technology. Thank you, Chair, for your indulgence.”
“Thank you, Chair, I have three clarifications. One on scams, one on cannabis and one on technology. My experience on the ground is, in terms of scams, it happens very, very quickly. Within a span of three weeks, I have had two separate families come and see me. One had lost $280,000 and one having lost $80,000. And what they shared with me is that, through many money mule accounts in Singapore, money is transferred from account to account, and then transferred out. And while they are interested in prosecution of those involved in this, they are most concerned with the recovery of the money. That is the sentiment on the ground. My humble and respectful suggestion is that we build in a "kill switch" that would just stop the flow of money from one account to the next account, prior to it leaving our shores. So, would that be considered or enhanced? The second point is about cannabis. I listened very carefully to the Minister of State Faishal's response, and I thank him for that. Would it be useful to share with the public the long-term societal harm of recreational cannabis use? And I use Washington state is a good starting point. I am not saying it has worked well or negatively there, but it is the 10th year anniversary of Washington state's legalising recreational use of marijuana. I think it did so in December 2012. So, if we can have some statistical, empirical, evidential data on what the societal effect, the effects on society are – employability, mental health, family relationships, long term – then, we will be on firmer standing on our zero-tolerance to drugs.”
“How is the Government working in tandem with the various sectors, in order to develop specific and targeted approaches to dealing with different sorts of scams particularly, because scams evolve quickly? What infrastructure is in place to respond to new forms of scams across the various industries, such that all stakeholders are informed and play their part in collectively combatting the threat? Raising Awareness to Deter Online Scams Sir, we need a strong public awareness regarding the nature of scams and the various forms they take. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of scams, including e-commerce scams, Internet love scams and investment scams. These scams are particularly difficult to track and counter, because these deal with daily life and, to some extent, human sentiment and human emotion. Given how fast scams can evolve and new scams can appear, we need to be able to quickly inform the public, especially the targeted groups that are most vulnerable to a particular form of scam. Increasing public awareness is one key plank. How is the Government working to continually update the public on new forms of scams, and keeping up with its public education and awareness efforts? Online Scams”
“Sir, money mule accounts are a serious issue and the impending changing of the law is good. Laws need to be regularly reviewed to respond to the fast-evolving nature of the scams. There needs to be sufficient flexibility within the legislation and subsidiary legislation. People are being lured by easy money to sell their Singpass details and bank accounts for purposes, such as money laundering, facilitating unauthorised access to computer material and carrying out unlicensed businesses. How is MHA aiming to reduce the prevalence of money mule accounts and lower the incidence of people selling their personal details and bank accounts? Combatting Online Scams Using Technology Sir, scammers are getting increasingly diverse in the forms of scams that they are able to carry out with the use of new technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and over the Internet. To build a strong digital infrastructure to prevent scams, we need to utilise technology, such as big data, to be able to spot common patterns, to highlight suspicious transactions and websites with scammers spoofing e-commerce platforms, fake friend call scams and impersonation scams. How is MHA using technology and partnering with various stakeholders to further flag out suspicious transactions, for our digital infrastructure needs to develop, to put up more barriers and warnings against phishing and other forms of data theft? Multi-pronged Way to Fight Online Scams Sir, a collective multi-pronged approach to fight scams is necessary, given the nature of online scams. This includes not just Government agencies and banks, but telcos' customers and consumers, and the community at large.”
“Sir, many former offenders find themselves to be the target of the invisible bars of prejudice and suspicion, making their process of rehabilitation and reintegration into society that much more challenging. By raising more awareness to accept former offenders as fellow and equal members of society, we can generate greater public support which could translate into a greater number of volunteers for the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-offenders (CARE) Network, the Yellow Ribbon Project and other aftercare programmes. How is MHA creating awareness and generating acceptance for our former offenders, in order to facilitate their transition and welcoming back into society? Mentorship Programmes for Ex-offenders Sir, we must make a concerted effort to welcome former offenders into our society after their release. Such a welcoming attitude will also reduce the chance of re-offending and, possibly, even heal families. In the road to recovery and reintegration, mentorship is key. How can MHA and the SPS continue to enhance the provision of post-release mentorship schemes for our former offenders? Employability of Ex-offenders”
“Families can be torn apart by addiction and what is more, widespread addiction can lead to devastating consequences on our society as a whole. How does MHA intend to ramp up its engagement of our youths regarding the dangers of drug abuse, especially in the light of the growing and dangerous lure of cannabis? Prevention of Drug Abuse”
“With the threat of self-radicalisation becoming more apparent in Singapore and around the region, stepping up our efforts in countering the threat of terrorism is key. We need to continually strengthen our regulatory framework and our detection capabilities, so as to keep a close watch on potential terror situations or threats. How will MHA continue to partner with other states in our fight against terrorism, given that the fight is not one that exists in vacuum? Further, how is the Home Team transforming its operational capabilities, such as to prevent terrorist financing and to prevent money laundering in relation to terrorism? Fight against Tolerance to Drugs Sir, Singapore has had a long and hard stance against drugs. It has benefited our nation. However, there is a gradually growing perception that drugs are less harmful or not harmful if used just socially. But it is obvious that experimental drug use can lead to addiction. How does MHA intend to reinvent and transform its engagements and messages regarding the growing tolerance to drugs? In particular, how will MHA explain that the liberalisation of recreational drug use in other countries, including those in the region, will in every likelihood lead to massive long-term societal harm? Such brutally honest messaging could achieve the deterrent effect needed to puncture the growing tolerance to drugs. The Battle against the Lure of Cannabis Sir, Singapore is seeing a rise among younger members of society in terms of usage of cannabis. Youths form a significant proportion of new abusers of illicit drugs. We need to continue and readily impart drug-free values to the next generation, and educate and inculcate the understanding that addiction is not without consequences.”
“Sir, as a result of technological advancements, the threat of crime is considerably more global than ever and certainly does not respect boundaries. We need to continually strengthen our technological capability, so as to detect crime, including multi-jurisdictional crimes. What is the Home Team doing to leverage on technology to battle domestic and transnational crime, and does this requires some degree of transformation of operations? Home Team Transformation – Manpower MHA fulfils a key function: the maintenance of order and law in Singapore. But with declining birth rates, manpower has been, and will continue to be, affected. Leveraging on technology, cooperation with the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), partnerships with international organisations such as Interpol and good relationships with Police forces in the region are key to making up for the reducing pool of local manpower. But in the round, manpower is still key. Ground, human judgement is key in ground ops and, therefore, how will MHA transform itself to ensure: one, that our officers continue to be world-class; and two, that our world-class officers work alongside best-in-class technology to assist in the fight against crime? Youth Radicalisation”
“We need only look to National Service – an education and training system in its own right – to see how it has helped Singaporeans learn to live and work together, unite and forge a common identity regardless of race, religion or background. This is something we have done before and I believe we can do it again – this time in our schools. While it is certainly true that catering to specific segments of students, such as those with high academic ability or strengths in specific areas or those who prefer a more hands-on and technical training can have its advantages, these benefits are not necessarily negated if we start to mix streams within all schools. Mr Speaker, Sir, as we continue to rethink and redefine our school system, we must consider that there are many roads that lead to a fulfilling life and results cannot be the only marker. Removing the PSLE would reduce the pressure on students. Students would be geared towards education, not results. Learning to mix with people from all walks of life is invaluable and wholesome and rich, and it carries into the working world. I humbly submit that, together, all these suggestions, along with the many others that I know MOE is considering, will be able to help Singapore continue its legacy of developing students who can grow into citizens who can tackle the problems of tomorrow. Mr Speaker, as we deliberate over how to bring our nation forward, we have to make hard decisions on finding a balance between various trade-offs. I believe we owe this to the residents we serve and in that way, we can build stronger solidarity to take Singapore forward.”
“Secondly, I would suggest having every primary school affiliated with a secondary school so that the student can transition to that affiliated school easily if he or she so wishes to go that school. That would allow nearly every student to be assured secondary school entry in a school familiar to him or her. I would even suggest perhaps that we need to consider doing away with the PSLE altogether. There are already continuous assessments every year in primary school – and with a proper scheme of affiliation, students can focus on more holistic and long-term learning. That would give them a longer runway till 16 to prepare and allow late bloomers to catch up. Finally, I would like to suggest that all secondary schools accommodate all streams in their campuses to ensure students of different academic abilities mix together in one school while still going to class according to their respective academic abilities. We have already introduced Subject-based Banding (SBB) and see the positive effects of it to allow students to learn at their own pace and to remove possible stigma associated with certain labels. Currently, SBB does not apply to all schools and certain schools only accept express students and IB students. I would like to humbly suggest that while such programmes are good, allowing more porous boundaries will allow groups of students to mix more freely. It is well known that the social environment of a school can positively influence a student's academic behaviour and performance. This is not a proposal I make lightly, nor is it something that can be simply implemented with the stroke of a pen or the wave of a wand. But its benefits are obvious.”
“While a direct pari materia importation of Finland's model is certainly not possible because of cultural and structural differences, a page can definitely be taken from their book. When the Finnish education system was reformed in the 1980s, Finnish educators shifted their focus away from test scores and Math and Science comprehension to building a "happy, harmonious and healthy student and learning environment". This focus was to help "every single child" in a way to combat social inequality. In Singapore, we already have, yes, the existing programmes to target inequality like the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT). But I believe, as the Finnish did, that we can consider a redefinition of success and the end goal of our education system. Especially in an uncertain world, these transversal skills I have just mentioned – particularly critical thinking skills and learning to learn and research – are what we must focus on. Having that in mind, we can tailor and reshape the syllabus around these core skills which hopefully would lighten the actual workload on students. Finnish students have little homework and thus do not spend more than half an hour outside of school time to finish homework. This lightened workload then allows for more sleep for students and less need to rely on tutors. Creating such a culture in Singapore would reduce the need for tuition merely to do school homework but rather focus on tuition merely to boost a child in particular areas in which he or she struggles in, where needed. So, the syllabus needs to be less stressful so that there is small, or little, or no need for tuition.”
“This is especially so in uncertain times, where we must develop students holistically to achieve the best they can. We must therefore continually evolve and adapt to ensure our system is prepared for the future. Today, I would like to ask for a rethink of our education system and syllabus, and in relation to that, the PSLE and our heavy reliance on tuition. This issue is not new. In fact, the Ministry of Education has addressed concerns over the years and brought forth many changes in our curriculum to better equip our children, including removing the T-score for the PSLE. Nevertheless, tuition in Singapore remains a billion-dollar industry, possibly a multi-billion-dollar industry, with seven out of every 10 children in Singapore enrolled in tuition, with the PSLE, in particular, providing a great element of stress. Let me now, Sir, provide some humble suggestions and possible solutions. Firstly, I would like to propose that perhaps it is time for a rethink of the syllabus in order to right-size it. Reducing a syllabus to an appropriate size cannot be done arbitrarily and the syllabus is crafted according to the changing needs of our nation. I accept that. So, certainly, it would be hard to figure out what should be prioritised because every part of the syllabus is arguably important to prepare students for the future. I also note that there have been many revamps of our curriculum including the introduction of the "Teach Less, Learn More" scheme. Nevertheless, I take reference from the Finnish education system, an education system that has consistently ranked highly and is similarly well regarded around the world. Not only does Finland perform well on PISA, students face less stress and after-school tutoring is rare.”